Question 41·Medium·Command of Evidence
Properties of Select Rotating Radio Transients
| Name | Right ascension (hours) | Period (seconds) | Frequency (hertz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| J0545-03 | 5:45 | 1.074 | 0.931 |
| J1654-2335 | 16:54:03 | 0.545 | 1.834 |
| J0103+54 | 1:03:37 | 0.354 | 2.822 |
| J0121+53 | 1:21 | 2.725 | 0.367 |
| J0614-03 | 6:15 | 0.136 | 7.353 |
A student is researching rotating radio transients (RRATs), a subclass of pulsar stars characterized by short pulses of radio waves. The time between consecutive pulses of an RRAT is referred to as a period. Looking at the table, the student determines that _____
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
For SAT questions that ask which statement is supported by a table, start by identifying exactly which column matches the concept in the question (here, “period” for time between pulses). Then, pull out just the relevant numbers for the named items and compare them directly—don’t try to interpret the whole table at once. Finally, test each answer choice one by one against the data, looking for any mismatch in the specific values mentioned; eliminate any choice that even slightly contradicts the table, and select the one that is fully supported by the numbers.
Hints
Focus on the right data
When the question asks about "time between consecutive pulses," which column in the table describes that quantity? Only use that column to answer the question.
Compare the numerical values
Write down the period values for each RRAT. Which ones are less than 1 second, and which ones are greater? Which number is the smallest overall?
Test each answer choice against the table
For each choice, check the specific RRAT names and compare the periods shown in the table to see if the statement is actually true.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the relevant column
The question asks about the "time between consecutive pulses," and the passage explicitly says this is referred to as a period. Therefore, the only column you need to use is Period (seconds).
List and compare the period values
Read the Period (seconds) values from the table:
- J0545-03: 1.074
- J1654-2335: 0.545
- J0103+54: 0.354
- J0121+53: 2.725
- J0614-03: 0.136
To find the shortest time between pulses, you are looking for the smallest of these numbers.
Determine which period is the smallest
Compare the decimals carefully:
- 2.725 and 1.074 are both greater than 1 second.
- 0.545 and 0.354 are both less than 1 but greater than 0.1.
- 0.136 is just a bit more than 0.1 and is smaller than 0.354 and 0.545.
So 0.136 is the smallest period in the list.
Match the smallest period to the correct statement
The RRAT with a period of 0.136 seconds is J0614-03, so it has the shortest time between consecutive pulses in the table. The statement that correctly uses this information is: "J0614-03 has the shortest amount of time between consecutive pulses of all the RRATs in the table."