How to answer it
- Read the claim before the data.
- Find the rows, columns or bars that the claim is about.
- Pick the choice that is accurate and supports the claim, not just accurate.
Worked example
An original question in the SAT format, already answered.
In a survey of a town’s 400 commuters, 180 drove alone, 120 took the bus, 60 biked and 40 walked. A planner argues that more than a quarter of commuters already use the bus.
Which choice most effectively uses data from the survey to support the planner’s claim?
- A120 of the 400 commuters, or 30 percent, took the bus.
- BMore commuters drove alone than took the bus.
- C60 commuters biked, half as many as took the bus.
- DWalking was the least common way to commute.
Answer: A. A quarter of 400 is 100. A shows 120 commuters, 30 percent, took the bus, which supports the claim. B, C and D are accurate but don’t address the bus share.
The most common trap
True statements that don’t touch the claim. Accurate isn’t enough; the data has to support the specific point.
Practice it
Hourly Prep’s daily sets mix command of evidence: quantitative with the rest of SAT Reading and Writing, and send more of it your way when it’s a weak spot. See how the SAT prep plan works, or browse the other SAT skill guides.
For pacing and strategy across the whole section, read our SAT Reading and Writing guide. To fit this skill into a schedule, see the SAT study plan guide.