Command of Evidence: Quantitative

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 4/5

A pharmaceutical study reported six-month weight changes (in kg) for four diets: Diet A, -2.1; Diet B, -3.4; Diet C, -3.2; Diet D, -3.5. The researchers argued that Diets B, C, and D are essentially equivalent in weight-loss effect, contradicting marketing claims that Diet D is the most effective. The data most uniquely supporting this "essentially equivalent" claim is ______

Which choice most logically completes the text using the data above?

  • A

    Diet D's largest -3.5 kg loss.

  • B

    the gap between Diet A and Diet D.

  • C

    Diet A's smaller -2.1 kg loss.

  • D

    the very small spread among Diets B, C, and D (-3.4, -3.2, -3.5), all within 0.3 kg of each other.

    check_circle

Explanation

"Essentially equivalent" among B, C, D requires showing their values are very close. Choice B captures this tightly clustered range (within 0.3 kg). Choice C actually supports the marketing claim the researchers reject.

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