9 original Command of Evidence: Quantitative questions, easiest first. Read a table or graph and pick the choice the data actually supports. Answer them all, then submit once to see every answer explained.
A researcher compiled data on the average retail price of a basic LED light bulb over a decade:
| 2014 | $9.80 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $6.40 |
| 2018 | $3.90 |
| 2020 | $2.30 |
| 2022 | $2.90 |
An industry analyst claims that LED bulb prices declined every single year covered by the data.
Does the data support the analyst's claim?
B — No, because the price increased between 2020 and 2022, so prices did not decline every year covered.. While overall price fell from 2014 to 2020, it rose from $2.30 to $2.90 between 2020 and 2022—an increase, which contradicts the claim that prices fell every single year. Choice D is a true fact but doesn't address the claim about every year.
A transit agency compared average weekday ridership on a subway line before and after fares were reduced by 20%:
| Before reduction (avg. daily) | 82,000 riders |
|---|---|
| After reduction (avg. daily) | 91,000 riders |
| Total fare revenue before | $164,000/day |
|---|---|
| Total fare revenue after | $145,600/day |
A transit advocate claims that the fare reduction increased both ridership and total revenue.
Does the data support the advocate's claim?
C — No, because although ridership increased, total revenue actually decreased after the fare reduction.. Ridership rose from 82,000 to 91,000, but revenue fell from $164,000 to $145,600—so while ridership increased, revenue did not, contradicting the claim that both increased.
A researcher compiled the average price of a basic solar-powered calculator over a decade:
| 2014 | $6.20 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $4.80 |
| 2018 | $3.40 |
| 2020 | $2.60 |
| 2022 | $3.10 |
A retail analyst states that the calculator's price fell continuously across every year shown.
Do the figures support the analyst's statement?
A — No, since price rose between 2020 and 2022, breaking a continuous decline.. While overall price fell from 2014 to 2020, it rose from $2.60 to $3.10 between 2020 and 2022, contradicting a claim of continuous decline across every year; choice B is true but doesn't address the claim of continuity.
A researcher compiled data on the average cost per gigabyte of flash memory storage over a decade:
| 2014 | $0.45/GB |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $0.24/GB |
| 2018 | $0.13/GB |
| 2020 | $0.08/GB |
| 2022 | $0.11/GB |
An industry analyst claims that flash memory costs declined every single year covered by the data.
Does the data support the analyst's claim?
B — No, because the cost increased between 2020 and 2022, so costs did not decline every year covered.. While overall cost fell from 2014 to 2020, the price rose from $0.08 to $0.11 between 2020 and 2022—an increase, which contradicts the claim that costs fell every single year. Choice D is a true fact but doesn't address the claim about every year.
A university compared average class sizes and average end-of-semester course evaluation scores across four sections of the same introductory course:
| Section 1 | 45 students, 3.6/5 rating |
|---|---|
| Section 2 | 22 students, 4.3/5 rating |
| Section 3 | 60 students, 3.1/5 rating |
| Section 4 | 30 students, 4.0/5 rating |
Which choice best describes the relationship shown in the table?
B — Smaller class sizes were generally associated with higher course evaluation ratings.. As class size decreases (60→45→30→22), ratings generally rise (3.1→3.6→4.0→4.3), showing a generally inverse relationship between size and rating—matching choice B's description of smaller classes being associated with higher ratings.
A researcher compiled data on the average retail price per unit of a particular computer memory chip over a decade:
| 2014 | $12.40 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $8.10 |
| 2018 | $5.30 |
| 2020 | $3.90 |
| 2022 | $4.60 |
An industry analyst claims that memory chip prices declined every single year covered by the data.
Does the data support the analyst's claim?
A — No, because the price increased between 2020 and 2022, so prices did not decline every year covered.. While overall price fell from 2014 to 2020, it rose from $3.90 to $4.60 between 2020 and 2022—an increase, which contradicts the claim that prices fell every single year. Choice B is a true fact but doesn't address the claim about every year.
A library system compared average monthly digital checkouts before and after removing hold limits on e-books:
| Before removal (avg. monthly) | 3,400 checkouts |
|---|---|
| After removal (avg. monthly) | 4,850 checkouts |
| Average wait time for popular titles before | 6.2 days |
|---|---|
| Average wait time after | 9.8 days |
A library advocate claims that removing hold limits increased both checkouts and reduced wait times.
Does the data support the advocate's claim?
C — No, because although checkouts increased, average wait times for popular titles actually increased after the change.. Checkouts rose from 3,400 to 4,850, but wait times for popular titles rose from 6.2 to 9.8 days—so while checkouts increased, wait times did not decrease, contradicting the claim that both improved.
A city compared average commute satisfaction scores and average one-way commute distances across four neighborhoods:
| Neighborhood A | 3.1 miles, 4.2/5 satisfaction |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood B | 9.8 miles, 3.0/5 satisfaction |
| Neighborhood C | 1.5 miles, 4.6/5 satisfaction |
| Neighborhood D | 6.4 miles, 3.5/5 satisfaction |
Which choice best describes the relationship shown in the table?
A — Shorter commute distances were generally associated with higher commute satisfaction scores.. As commute distance decreases (9.8→6.4→3.1→1.5), satisfaction generally rises (3.0→3.5→4.2→4.6), showing a generally inverse relationship between distance and satisfaction—matching choice A's description of shorter commutes being associated with higher satisfaction.
A hospital unit compared average nurse-to-patient ratios and average patient satisfaction scores across four wards:
| Ward A | 1:6 ratio, 3.4/5 satisfaction |
|---|---|
| Ward B | 1:3 ratio, 4.5/5 satisfaction |
| Ward C | 1:8 ratio, 2.9/5 satisfaction |
| Ward D | 1:4 ratio, 4.1/5 satisfaction |
Which statement best matches the pattern shown in the figures? (A lower ratio number means fewer patients per nurse.)
C — Wards with fewer patients per nurse generally reported higher satisfaction scores.. As patients per nurse decreases (8→6→4→3), satisfaction generally rises (2.9→3.4→4.1→4.5), showing an inverse relationship between patient load and satisfaction—matching choice C's description.
Score:
Every question above is now marked up: the correct answer is highlighted, any wrong option you picked is flagged, and each explanation is open.
No. Every question here is original, written to the College Board's published Digital SAT Reading & Writing specification for the Command of Evidence: Quantitative skill. No retired or copyrighted College Board material appears anywhere on this site.
Command of Evidence (Quantitative) pairs a short passage with a table or graph and asks which choice most effectively uses that data to complete or support a stated claim. No arithmetic beyond comparison is required — it is a reading question about a data display, not a maths question.
Read the title, the axis labels, the units and the column headers before you read a single answer choice; most wrong answers survive only because the reader assumed what the numbers measured. Then find the specific comparison the claim needs, locate exactly those cells or points, and check each choice against them.
No, and deliberately so. This drill is 9 Command of Evidence: Quantitative questions back to back; a real Reading & Writing module is 27 questions in 32 minutes drawn from all eleven skills. Use a drill to fix one weakness, then take a full module to practice the real thing.
No. The SAT has no penalty for a wrong answer — a blank and a wrong guess both score zero — so answer every question, including the ones you have to guess.