Question 37·Easy·Command of Evidence
Maximum Height of Maple Trees When Fully Grown
| Tree type | Maximum height (feet) | Native to North America |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar maple | 75 | yes |
| Silver maple | 70 | yes |
| Red maple | 60 | yes |
| Japanese maple | 25 | no |
| Norway maple | 50 | no |
For a school project, a forestry student needs to recommend a maple tree that is native to North America and won’t grow more than 60 feet in height. Based on the characteristics of five common maple trees, she has decided to select a ______
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?
For table-based Reading & Writing questions, start by underlining the conditions in the sentence (for example, origin, size, or number limits). Then, in the table, first filter by the non-numerical condition (like "yes" vs. "no"), and only after that check any numerical limits (such as maximum height). Eliminate rows that fail any condition, and finally match the remaining correct row to the answer choices, watching out for tempting options that satisfy only one of the conditions but not both.
Hints
Find the two key conditions
Reread the sentence about what the forestry student needs. What are the TWO requirements for the tree (one about where it’s from, one about how tall it can get)?
Use the “Native to North America” column first
Before looking at height, use the table to eliminate any trees that are not native to North America. Which trees have "yes" in that column?
Now check the maximum height
Among the trees that are native to North America, look at their maximum heights. Which one has a maximum height that does not exceed 60 feet, and also appears in the answer choices?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the requirements in the question
The question states two conditions the recommended tree must meet:
- It must be native to North America.
- It must not grow more than 60 feet in height (maximum height 960 feet).
Any maple that does not satisfy both of these conditions must be eliminated.
Use the table to filter by “Native to North America”
Look at the Native to North America column in the table.
- Sugar maple: yes
- Silver maple: yes
- Red maple: yes
- Japanese maple: no
- Norway maple: no
So only sugar maple, silver maple, and red maple meet the first requirement. The trees with "no" can’t be the answer, even if their heights look good.
Apply the height requirement to the remaining trees
Now look at the Maximum height (feet) for the three trees that are native to North America:
- Sugar maple: 75 feet
- Silver maple: 70 feet
- Red maple: 60 feet
The tree must not grow more than 60 feet, so we need a tree with maximum height 960 feet.
- Sugar maple (75) is too tall.
- Silver maple (70) is too tall.
- Red maple (60) is within the limit.
The only tree that satisfies both being native to North America and having a maximum height of 60 feet or less is the red maple, which corresponds to choice C) red maple.