Question 34·Easy·Command of Evidence
Number of Museum Visits (in Millions) from 2016 to 2019
| Museum | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Museum of the American Indian | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.96 |
| National Museum of African American History and Culture | 0.73 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 2.0 |
A student is researching the number of visits each year to two museums, the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Of the four years included in the table, the year when both museums had the highest number of visits was _____
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
For table-based questions, start by underlining exactly what is being asked (for example, “both museums” and “highest number of visits”). Then, work row by row: in each row, quickly identify the maximum value and mark its year. Finally, look for the year that satisfies the condition for all relevant rows (here, the year that is the maximum in both rows). Avoid rushing to the first or last year listed, and avoid adding numbers unless the question specifically asks for totals.
Hints
Focus on one museum first
Ignore one of the rows for now. For just the National Museum of the American Indian, scan across the years and note which year has the largest number in that row.
Repeat for the second museum
Now do the same for the National Museum of African American History and Culture: which year has the largest number in that row?
Combine your findings
You should now have one “highest year” for each museum. Which year appears in both of your answers?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question is not asking for the year with the highest total visits or the first year in the table. It is asking for one specific year in which both museums each have their own highest number of visits among the four years.
Find the highest value for the first museum
Look at the row for National Museum of the American Indian:
- 2016: 1.1
- 2017: 1.2
- 2018: 1.1
- 2019: 0.96
The largest number in this row is 1.2, which occurs in 2017. So this museum’s highest visits are in 2017.
Find the highest value for the second museum
Now look at the row for National Museum of African American History and Culture:
- 2016: 0.73
- 2017: 2.4
- 2018: 1.9
- 2019: 2.0
The largest number in this row is 2.4, which occurs in 2017. So this museum’s highest visits are in 2017.
Choose the year that works for both museums
Both museums reach their highest visit numbers in the same year: 2017. Therefore, the year when both museums had the highest number of visits is 2017, which corresponds to choice D) 2017.