Question 152·Easy·Command of Evidence
Average Silent Reading Speeds of Students in Three Grade Levels
| Grade level | Average words per minute read by female students | Average words per minute read by male students |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 120 | 115 |
| Grade 4 | 135 | 125 |
| Grade 5 | 150 | 140 |
Education researcher Selena K. Ortiz recorded the average silent reading speeds (in words per minute) of female and male students in grades 3 through 5. She found that the smallest difference between the average speeds of female and male students occurred in ____
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
For table questions that ask for the “smallest difference” or “greatest difference,” ignore the raw values at first and quickly compute the difference between the two relevant numbers in each row or category. Write or mentally note each difference, then compare those differences only; pick the option corresponding to the smallest (or largest) one. This targeted comparison is much faster and more accurate than scanning the table for big or small numbers by eye.
Hints
Focus on each row separately
Look at one grade level at a time. For each row, you have a female average and a male average. Think about how you can measure how far apart those two numbers are.
Use subtraction to find the gap
For a given grade, subtract the male average from the female average. Do this for all three grades so you can compare the gaps.
Compare the three results
After you find the three differences, decide which difference is the smallest. Then match that difference to the correct grade level in the table.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question asks for the grade level where the difference between the average reading speeds of female and male students is the smallest. That means for each grade, we must compare the female and male values in that row and find how far apart they are.
Calculate the differences for each grade
For each grade, subtract the male average from the female average:
- Grade 3:
- Grade 4:
- Grade 5:
These numbers represent how many words per minute faster the female students read, on average, in each grade.
Compare the differences and choose the smallest
Now compare the differences you found: , , and . The smallest of these is , which comes from the grade 3 row. Therefore, the smallest difference between the average speeds of female and male students occurred in grade 3.