Question 86·Medium·Command of Evidence
Germination Characteristics of Five Newly Cultivated Alpine Wildflower Species
| Species code | Germination time (days) | Seedling height after 30 days (cm) | Daily sunlight optimum (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AW-101 | 4 | 8.2 | 6 |
| AW-102 | 6 | 7.5 | 5 |
| AW-103 | 5 | 9.0 | 7 |
| AW-104 | 3 | 8.8 | 6 |
| AW-105 | 7 | 7.8 | 5 |
A botanist defines “rapid bloomers” as species whose seeds germinate in 5 days or fewer and “slow bloomers” as those that require more than 5 days to germinate.
In 2023, botanist Dr. Elena Márquez and her team announced the discovery of the five alpine wildflower species listed in the table and claimed that three of them are rapid bloomers and two are slow bloomers.
Which choice best describes data from the table that support Márquez and her team’s claim?
For SAT questions that ask which choice best supports a claim using a table or graph, first restate the claim in simple, concrete terms (here: how many species are at or below 5 days and how many are above 5 days). Then, look only at the relevant column(s) and compute any needed counts or comparisons. Once you know the exact numerical or categorical pattern from the data, eliminate any answer choices that (1) talk about the wrong column or type of information, (2) are factually incorrect, or (3) are true but do not directly connect to the claim. Finally, select the option that precisely states the pattern you found.
Hints
Focus on the right column and definitions
The claim is about how fast the seeds germinate. Which column in the table gives information about how many days germination takes?
Use the cutoff number carefully
Pay close attention to the definitions: "5 days or fewer" versus "more than 5 days." Which species fall in each group based on their germination times?
Turn the claim into simple counts
After grouping the species by germination time, count how many are in each group. Then look for the answer choice that correctly describes those counts, not height or sunlight.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate the claim and key definitions
The question tells us that:
- Rapid bloomers: species whose seeds germinate in 5 days or fewer.
- Slow bloomers: species whose seeds germinate in more than 5 days.
Márquez and her team claim that three of the five species are rapid bloomers and two are slow bloomers. We need to find the answer choice that uses numbers from the germination time column to support that claim.
Classify each species using the definitions
Look at the Germination time (days) column and compare each value to 5.
- AW-101: 4 days → 4 is 5 or fewer → rapid bloomer.
- AW-102: 6 days → 6 is more than 5 → slow bloomer.
- AW-103: 5 days → 5 is 5 or fewer → rapid bloomer.
- AW-104: 3 days → 3 is 5 or fewer → rapid bloomer.
- AW-105: 7 days → 7 is more than 5 → slow bloomer.
Count rapid and slow bloomers
Now count how many species fall into each category based on germination time:
- Rapid bloomers (5 days or fewer): AW-101, AW-103, AW-104 → 3 species.
- Slow bloomers (more than 5 days): AW-102, AW-105 → 2 species.
These counts match exactly what Márquez and her team claimed: three rapid and two slow.
Match this pattern to the answer choices
We must choose the option that describes the numbers we just found: three species with germination times of 5 days or fewer and two species with germination times of more than 5 days. The only answer choice that states this relationship is:
D) Three of the species germinate in 5 or fewer days, while the remaining two require more than 5 days to germinate.