SAT OwlQuestion bank / Command of Evidence
| Age group | Social media (%) | Television (%) | News websites (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-29 | 52 | 19 | 21 |
| 30-49 | 38 | 31 | 27 |
| 50-64 | 22 | 49 | 23 |
| 65 and older | 12 | 63 | 18 |
Researchers asked adults which source they rely on most for news. The table shows the percentage of each age group that named each of three sources. The researchers claim that as age increases, the share of adults who rely mainly on television rises, while the share who rely mainly on social media falls.
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support the researchers' claim?
Among adults aged 30-49, 31% relied mainly on television and 27% relied mainly on news websites.
In every age group, fewer than 30% of adults relied mainly on news websites.
Television was the main news source for 19% of adults aged 18-29 and 63% of adults aged 65 and older, while social media was the main source for 52% and 12% of those groups, respectively.
Adults aged 18-29 were more likely to rely mainly on news websites than on television.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
The claim describes two trends across age groups: television rising and social media falling. Choice C compares the youngest and oldest groups and shows television going from 19% to 63% while social media drops from 52% to 12%.
Choice D is accurate (21% versus 19%), but it describes only one age group and does not show any change with age.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. This choice compares television and news websites for a single age group. It does not show how reliance on television or social media changes as age increases.
- B. This choice focuses on news websites, which are not part of the researchers' claim. It fails to address the trends in television or social media usage.
- D. This choice compares two sources within one age group. It does not demonstrate the shift in preferences across different age groups required to support the claim.
Got it wrong? On SAT Owl, Owl looks at the answer you chose and explains the exact mistake, then gives you similar questions until it sticks. Get your predicted SAT score free, or take a free full-length practice test.