Question 101·Medium·Command of Evidence
Student Survey: Main Reasons for Not Commuting to Campus by Bicycle
| Factor | Category | Percentage of students selecting factor (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy traffic | safety | 8.4 |
| Lack of bike lanes | safety | 12.7 |
| Long distance to campus | practical | 38.2 |
| Need to carry heavy items | practical | 26.9 |
| Unpredictable weather | safety | 14.1 |
In a recent transportation study, researchers asked 500 university students to name the single biggest reason they chose not to ride a bicycle to campus. The researchers grouped the reasons into either safety or practical categories and concluded that students were far more likely to cite practical issues than safety concerns. For instance, 38.2% of students pointed to the long distance to campus, whereas only ______
For SAT Reading and Writing questions that ask you to fill in a blank based on a table or graph, always (1) read the surrounding sentence carefully to understand the relationship being expressed (contrast, cause, example, etc.), (2) identify in the graphic the exact data point already mentioned, including its category, (3) determine what kind of data point is needed for the blank (same category vs. different category, higher vs. lower value) based on the author’s claim, and then (4) choose the option that fits both the data and the sentence’s logic, not just any number that seems close or familiar.
Hints
Focus on the comparison words
Look closely at the phrase “For instance, 38.2% of students pointed to the long distance to campus, whereas only ______”. What kind of relationship does the word “whereas” show between the two parts of the sentence?
Check the categories in the table
Find 38.2% in the table and note which factor and category it belongs to. Then think: should the blank mention another factor from the same category or from the other category to support the conclusion?
Use the conclusion to guide your choice
The researchers concluded that students were far more likely to cite practical issues than safety concerns. After “whereas only,” which kind of factor (practical or safety) and what size of percentage (high or low) would best support that idea?
Compare the safety percentages
List the percentages for the safety-related factors from the table. Which one is the smallest? Look for the answer choice that uses that factor and percentage.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the blank needs to show
The passage says researchers concluded that students were far more likely to choose practical issues than safety concerns. Then it gives an example: 38.2% of students chose the long distance to campus, and the blank begins with "whereas only", which signals a contrast with something smaller and from the other category (safety).
Identify the example already given
Look at the table and find 38.2%. That percentage goes with Long distance to campus, which is labeled as practical. So the first half of the comparison is a practical reason with a relatively high percentage.
Find the contrasting type of factor
To support the idea that practical issues were chosen much more often, the second half of the sentence (after "whereas only") should give an example of a safety factor with a lower percentage. From the table, the safety factors and their percentages are:
- Heavy traffic: 8.4%
- Lack of bike lanes: 12.7%
- Unpredictable weather: 14.1%
We want the smallest of these to make the contrast as strong as possible.
Match the correct safety factor and percentage to the answer choices
The smallest safety percentage is 8.4%, which is for heavy traffic. The answer choice that matches this is: “8.4% of students said heavy traffic deterred them.” This correctly contrasts a high practical percentage (38.2% for long distance) with a lower safety percentage, supporting the researchers’ conclusion.