Question 10·Easy·Command of Evidence
Preferred Study Locations of Surveyed College Students
| Study Location | Percent of students who prefer this location |
|---|---|
| Library | 65% |
| Dorm Room | 48% |
| Coffee Shop | 32% |
| Outdoors | 15% |
According to the survey, the study location most favored by the students, with 65 percent expressing a preference for it, is the ____
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
For SAT questions that ask you to complete a sentence using data from a table or graph, first underline the key numbers and comparisons in the sentence (such as a specific percent or "greatest/least"). Then, go straight to the relevant column in the table, find the matching value or extreme (largest/smallest), and note the corresponding label (like a location or category). Finally, choose the answer option that exactly matches that label, ignoring any personal expectations or outside knowledge about what “should” be most popular.
Hints
Focus on the key number in the sentence
Find the percentage mentioned in the sentence: "with 65 percent expressing a preference for it." Your answer must match the location that has exactly this percentage in the table.
Use the table carefully
Look down the "Percent of students who prefer this location" column and locate 65%. Then check which study location is listed in the same row as 65%.
Match the table row to an answer choice
Once you know which location has 65%, look at the answer choices and pick the one that uses that same location name to complete the sentence.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The sentence says: "the study location most favored by the students, with 65 percent expressing a preference for it, is the ____".
You are being asked to fill in the blank with the study location that corresponds to 65% in the table. "Most favored" also means the location with the highest percentage.
Find 65% in the table
Look at the "Percent of students who prefer this location" column in the table.
- Library: 65%
- Dorm Room: 48%
- Coffee Shop: 32%
- Outdoors: 15%
The percentage mentioned in the question, 65%, appears next to one specific location in the table.
Identify the matching location
From the table, 65% is the percentage for Library. That means the completed sentence should say that the study location most favored by the students, with 65 percent expressing a preference for it, is the library.
So the correct answer choice is C) library.