Question 107·Medium·Command of Evidence
Percentage of Total Electricity Generated from Renewable Sources
| State | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 6.5% | 8.2% | 12.4% |
| Colorado | 10.1% | 12.7% | 20.3% |
| Nevada | 5.9% | 13.1% | 21.0% |
| New Mexico | 7.2% | 6.8% | 18.5% |
A student researching renewable energy trends notes that, overall, the share of electricity generated from renewable sources rose in these states from 2010 to 2020, but there was an exception to the upward movement in the middle of the period. For instance, _____
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the example?
For data-based Reading & Writing questions, first restate in your own words what the prompt wants (trend, exception, comparison, etc.). Then locate the exact rows and columns in the table that correspond to the time frame or condition mentioned (here, 2010–2015). Scan the data systematically, looking for the pattern described (such as an increase, decrease, or outlier). Finally, eliminate answer choices that are factually wrong according to the numbers or that might be true but do not answer the specific task in the question stem.
Hints
Focus on the time period mentioned
The student refers to the "middle of the period." Which years in the table mark the beginning, middle, and end of the period?
Identify what an "exception" would look like
If most values are going up over time, what kind of change would count as an exception to that general pattern?
Compare the relevant years for each state
Look at the 2010 and 2015 percentages for each state. For which state does the 2015 value not follow the same upward pattern as the others?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The student says that overall the percentage from renewable sources rose from 2010 to 2020, but there was an exception to that upward movement in the middle of the period. The blank needs to give a specific example from the table that shows a drop (not a rise) between 2010 and 2015.
Check the overall trend from 2010 to 2020
Look at the 2010 and 2020 percentages for each state:
- Arizona: 6.5% → 12.4%
- Colorado: 10.1% → 20.3%
- Nevada: 5.9% → 21.0%
- New Mexico: 7.2% → 18.5%
All four states have a higher percentage in 2020 than in 2010, so the student is correct that the overall trend is upward.
Look for an exception between 2010 and 2015
Now focus only on 2010 and 2015 (the "middle of the period"):
- Arizona: 6.5% → 8.2% (goes up)
- Colorado: 10.1% → 12.7% (goes up)
- Nevada: 5.9% → 13.1% (goes up)
- New Mexico: 7.2% → 6.8% (goes down)
Only one state shows a decrease between 2010 and 2015.
Match this finding to the answer choice
We need the option that describes that one state’s decrease between 2010 and 2015, which is the exception the student mentions. The choice that says "New Mexico’s share of electricity from renewable sources decreased between 2010 and 2015" is exactly what we see in the table, so that is the correct answer.