ACT Science 3

Question 1

A scatterplot shows points that trend downward from left to right. This indicates the two variables have a:

Accepted Answer

Negative correlation

Answer

A downward trend means as one variable increases the other decreases—a negative correlation.

Question 2

In a Conflicting Viewpoints passage, the best way to answer a question asking how Scientist 1 would respond to Scientist 2's claim is to:

Accepted Answer

Apply Scientist 1's stated reasoning to the new claim

Answer

You must reason from the viewpoint's own logic, not personal opinion.

Question 3

A table shows that as altitude increases, air pressure decreases. A new measurement at an unlisted higher altitude should have a pressure that is:

Accepted Answer

Lower than all listed values

Answer

Extrapolating the trend, higher altitude than any listed means lower pressure than any listed.

Question 4

Which of these is the dependent variable in a study measuring how fertilizer amount affects tomato yield?

Accepted Answer

Tomato yield

Answer

The dependent variable is the measured outcome—tomato yield.

Question 5

A graph plots solubility of a salt versus temperature, rising steadily. At an unmeasured temperature between two data points, the best estimate of solubility uses:

Accepted Answer

Interpolation between the points

Answer

Estimating a value between known data points is interpolation.

ACT Practice Test

ACT Practice Test

ACT Science 3