The table summarizes the distribution of average pitching speed, in miles per hour (mph), for a sample of 24 pitchers in a youth softball league.
| Average pitching speed | Number of pitchers |
|---|---|
| At least 30 mph but less than 35 mph | 12 |
| At least 35 mph but less than 40 mph | 7 |
| At least 40 mph but less than 45 mph | 4 |
| At least 45 mph but less than 50 mph | 1 |
According to the table, how many pitchers in the sample have an average pitching speed of at least mph but less than mph?
Explanation
Context: A table sorts 24 youth softball pitchers into four bands of average pitching speed. The task is to report how many pitchers fall in the band from at least 30 mph to less than 35 mph.
Answer: A)
Why? The value is read straight from the table: the row labeled "At least 30 mph but less than 35 mph" pairs with a count of 12 pitchers. No arithmetic is required, and 12 out of the 24 pitchers is consistent with that band being the largest of the four listed.
Traps:
- B) : the count in the next row, for speeds from 35 mph up to 40 mph.
- C) : the count for the 40-to-45 mph band, two rows below the one asked about.
- D) : the count for the fastest band, 45 mph up to 50 mph.