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A certain large company typically uses between 800 and 900 reams of paper per business day (a ream of paper is 500 sheets of paper). There are two exceptions to this pattern of use: on the last business day before a company holiday (a company holiday is not a business day), the company uses significantly less paper because a large number of employees take leave, and on the last business day of a month, monthly reports are produced, which significantly increases paper use. For each of 10 consecutive business days, the graph shows the number of reams of paper used on that day.
From each drop-down menu, select the option that creates the most accurate statement based on the information provided.
| Text Component | Literal Content | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Normal usage | typically uses between 800 and 900 reams of paper per business day | The company generally uses 800-900 reams of paper each business day |
| Definition | a ream of paper is 500 sheets of paper | 1 ream = 500 sheets |
| Exception 1 | on the last business day before a company holiday, uses significantly less paper because many employees take leave | Usage drops significantly before company holidays |
| Exception 2 | on the last business day of a month, monthly reports are produced, which significantly increases paper use | Usage is much higher at end of month for monthly reports |
| Data coverage | For each of 10 consecutive business days, the graph shows the number of reams of paper used | Data is for 10 consecutive business days |
| Chart Feature | Data / Description | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| X-axis | 10 consecutive business days | Each point is a day |
| Y-axis | Number of reams used (0-1200 range) | Measures daily usage |
| Day 1 | 1100 reams (highest data point) | Large spike, much higher than normal, likely last day of month |
| Day 4 | 350 reams (lowest data point) | Sharp drop, much lower than normal, likely pre-holiday |
| Days 2-3, 5-10 | 840-890 reams each day (flat trend) | All within typical usage; normal business days |
Paper usage generally stays within a 800-900 ream daily pattern except for two clear outliers: a large spike (Day 1 at 1100 reams), likely due to monthly reports produced on the last business day of the month, and a sharp dip (Day 4 at 350 reams), likely just before a company holiday when fewer employees are present. The pattern supports the claim about typical and exceptional usage, and the immediate return to normal levels further confirms these explanations.
The day that the graph most strongly suggests was the last business day of a month is Day ____.
The day that the graph most strongly suggests was the last business day before a company holiday is Day ____.
By examining the chart, Day 1 is identified as the last business day of a month due to its extraordinary spike in paper use, while Day 4, with its pronounced drop, clearly points to the last business day before a holiday. Each is an outlier in opposite directions, making both answers straightforward to select by looking for clear data extremes.
Each blank is independently solvable because one asks for an unusually high day (month-end reports) and the other for an unusually low day (holiday absences). They are based on different observable patterns and do not depend on each other's answers.