Quantitative Evidence: Tables and Graphs
SAT Reading & WritingInformation & IdeasMedium
Read titles, axes, units, and comparison language before doing any arithmetic.
What you need to know
- The question tests whether data support a statement, not whether you can admire the graph artistically.
- Titles and axis labels define what each number represents.
- Words such as greater, increased, doubled, and approximately demand different comparisons.
- A trend can be supported even when every individual value is not identical.
The AYLOTI method
- Read the claim first and mark the required variables.
- Locate the exact rows, bars, or points and note units.
- Calculate only the comparison the claim requires.
- State the result in words, then match it to the choices.
AYLOTI • Sir Hunain Zia • SAT Score 1594/1600 • 154 Total A Grades (Personal), 11 World Records, 7 Distinctions
Worked example
A table shows solar output rising from 40 MWh in 2022 to 52 MWh in 2023. Does it support a claim of a 30% increase?
- Change = 52 − 40 = 12 MWh.
- Percent increase = 12 ÷ 40 × 100.
- The calculation equals 30%.
Answer: Yes. Output increased by 12 MWh, which is 30% of the original 40 MWh.
Common SAT traps
- Dividing by the new value instead of the original value.
- Ignoring that two axes use different scales.
- Treating an approximate visual estimate as an exact value.
Quick check
A graph rises from 80 to 100. Is the percent increase 20%?
No. The increase is 20, and 20 ÷ 80 = 25%.
Before you move on
- Explain the core rule without looking back.
- Redo the worked example using your own steps.
- Write the trap you are most likely to fall for.
