Question 117·Easy·Command of Evidence
Monthly Visitor Numbers to Greenwood State Park (2023)
| Month | Number of visitors |
|---|---|
| January | 4,500 |
| February | 4,800 |
| March | 6,200 |
| April | 8,100 |
| May | 9,300 |
| June | 11,500 |
| July | 12,000 |
| August | 11,700 |
| September | 9,900 |
| October | 7,200 |
| November | 5,100 |
| December | 4,600 |
Greenwood State Park management tracks monthly visitor totals to anticipate staffing needs and maintenance schedules. The data show that, across the year, ____
For table and graph questions that ask what the data “show” or which statement is “supported,” treat each answer as a claim you must fact-check. First, identify which months or values each choice refers to, then read those exact numbers from the table and compare them carefully, watching for absolute words like “exactly,” “same,” “most,” or “least.” Use process of elimination: quickly cross out any choice that disagrees with even one number, and whatever remains and matches the data precisely is your answer, without needing to interpret trends or guess. This direct, check-each-claim approach is fast and reliable under time pressure.
Hints
Locate the relevant information
Look at the numbers in the table and notice which specific months are mentioned in each answer choice. You will need to compare only those months for each choice.
Use process of elimination
Try checking each statement one by one against the table. If a statement does not match the numbers exactly, you can eliminate it.
Pay attention to absolute words
Focus on words like “exactly,” “same,” and “busiest.” These require a very precise match with the data, so even a small difference means the statement is not supported.
Compare the exact visitor counts
When a choice compares months, read the exact visitor counts for those months and decide whether the comparison (greater than, less than, equal, or maximum) is correct.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question asks which statement about the park’s visitors is supported by the data in the table. That means you must check each answer choice against the exact numbers given and see which one is fully true.
Test choice A using January and September
Choice A says the visitor numbers exactly doubled from January to September. January has 4,500 visitors. Doubling 4,500 gives 9,000, but September has 9,900 visitors. Because 9,900 is not exactly double 4,500, choice A is not supported by the table.
Test choice C using March and October
Choice C says October had the same number of visitors as March. March has 6,200 visitors, while October has 7,200 visitors. These numbers are different, so choice C is contradicted by the table.
Test choice D by finding the busiest month
Choice D says the park’s busiest month was June with 11,500 visitors. Look down the “Number of visitors” column to find the largest number. June has 11,500, but July has 12,000, which is higher. This means June was not the busiest month, so choice D is false.
Confirm the remaining choice using July, August, and September
The remaining statement talks about the relationship among July, August, and September. July has 12,000 visitors, August has 11,700, and September has 9,900. August’s number (11,700) is less than July’s (12,000) but greater than September’s (9,900), so choice B, “August had fewer visitors than July but more than September,” is the only statement supported by the data.