ACT Table Practice Questions with Answers

Concept Explanation

An ACT table is a structured data display used in the Math and Science sections to present relationships between variables, experimental results, or categorical data. To excel on these questions, you must be able to quickly locate specific values, identify trends across rows and columns, and perform basic calculations such as averages or percentages based on the provided numbers. Most table questions on the ACT do not require advanced mathematical knowledge but rather test your precision and speed in data retrieval and interpretation.

When approaching an ACT table, start by reading the title and the headers for each column and row to understand the context. For instance, in the Science section, a table might show the boiling point of several liquids at different pressures. In the ACT Prep process, students often find that the key to success is avoiding "careless errors" by physically tracking the intersection of a row and a column with a finger or pencil. You should also watch for units of measurement, as the ACT may provide data in meters but ask for an answer in centimeters.

Data interpretation often involves comparing values. You might be asked to find the maximum or minimum value in a set, or to determine if a relationship is direct (both variables increase together) or inverse (one increases while the other decreases). Many students use an AI Question Generator to practice these specific data-mining skills under timed conditions. Understanding how to navigate these grids is just as important as knowing how to solve ACT subject-verb agreement problems in the English section.

Solved Examples

Example 1: Basic Data Retrieval
The table below shows the number of cars sold at a dealership over four months.

Month	Sedans	SUVs
January	15	10
February	12	18
March	20	15
April	18	22

Question: How many total vehicles were sold in March?

1. Locate the row labeled "March."
2. Identify the values for Sedans (20) and SUVs (15) in that row.
3. Add the two values together: $20 + 15 = 35$.
4. The total number of vehicles sold in March is 35.

Example 2: Identifying Trends
A scientist records the temperature of a chemical reaction every 5 minutes.

0

5

10

15

Time (min)	Temp (°C)
22	28	34	40

Question: If the trend continues linearly, what will the temperature be at 20 minutes?

1. Calculate the change in temperature for each 5-minute interval: $28 - 22 = 6$, $34 - 28 = 6$, $40 - 34 = 6$.
2. Observe that the temperature increases by $6^\circ \text{C}$ every 5 minutes.
3. Add 6 to the temperature at 15 minutes: $40 + 6 = 46$.
4. The temperature at 20 minutes will be $46^\circ \text{C}$.

Example 3: Calculating Percentages from a Table
A survey asked 100 students about their favorite fruit.

Fruit	Frequency
Apple	40
Banana	25
Orange	35

Question: What percentage of students chose Oranges?

1. Identify the number of students who chose Oranges: 35.
2. Identify the total number of students: 100.
3. Use the percentage formula: $\frac{ \text{Part}}{ \text{Whole}} \times 100$.
4. Calculate: $\frac{35}{100} \times 100 = 35\%$.

Practice Questions

1. Based on the table below, which day had the highest total rainfall?

Day	Morning Rainfall (in)	Evening Rainfall (in)
Mon	0.5	0.2
Tue	0.1	0.8
Wed	0.4	0.4

2. A store sells shirts for $15 and pants for $25. According to the table below, how much total revenue was generated on Thursday?

Day	Shirts Sold	Pants Sold
Wed	10	5
Thu	8	10

3. In a biology experiment, the growth of a plant was measured over 3 weeks. What was the average weekly growth (in cm) over this period?

1

2

3

Week	Height (cm)
0	5.0
7.5	10.0	12.5

4. Refer to the table below. If a student is chosen at random, what is the probability that they are a Senior who prefers Pizza?

Grade	Pizza	Tacos	Total
Junior	20	30	50
Senior	40	10	50
Total	60	40	100

5. According to the data, what is the ratio of Calories in Snack A to Calories in Snack C?

Snack	Calories	Sugar (g)
A	150	10
B	200	15
C	250	20

6. A car travels at different speeds. Based on the table, how far did the car travel between Hour 1 and Hour 3?

Time (hr)	Speed (mph)
1	50
2	60
3	55

7. Which substance in the table has the highest density? (Density = Mass / Volume)

Substance	Mass (g)	Volume (mL)
X	10	2
Y	20	10
Z	15	5

8. If the cost of electricity is $0.10 per kWh, what was the total cost for Month 2?

Month	Usage (kWh)
1	400
2	550
3	450

Answers & Explanations

1. Tuesday: Calculate the total for each day. Mon: $0.5 + 0.2 = 0.7$. Tue: $0.1 + 0.8 = 0.9$. Wed: $0.4 + 0.4 = 0.8$. Tuesday has the highest total (0.9 in).
2. $370: Multiply the items by their prices for Thursday. $(8 \times 15) + (10 \times 25) = 120 + 250 = 370$.
3. 2.5 cm: Total growth is the final height minus the initial height: $12.5 - 5.0 = 7.5$. Divide by the number of weeks: $7.5 / 3 = 2.5$.
4. 40/100 or 2/5: Find the intersection of "Senior" and "Pizza," which is 40. The total number of students is 100.
5. 3:5: Snack A has 150 calories and Snack C has 250. The ratio is $150:250$, which simplifies by dividing both by 50 to get $3:5$.
6. 115 miles: Distance = Speed × Time. For Hour 2, the car traveled 60 miles (1 hour at 60 mph). For Hour 3, it traveled 55 miles. $60 + 55 = 115$.
7. Substance X: Calculate density for each. X: $10/2 = 5$. Y: $20/10 = 2$. Z: $15/5 = 3$. X is the highest.
8. $55.00: Multiply Month 2 usage (550 kWh) by the rate ($0.10). $550 \times 0.10 = 55$.

1. A table shows that a plant grew from 10cm to 16cm over 2 days. What was the rate of growth per day?

• A2 cm
• B3 cm
• C6 cm
• D8 cm

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read a table quickly on the ACT?

Focus first on the column headers and the units of measurement to understand what the data represents. Use your finger or a pencil to track across rows to ensure you are looking at the correct data point for the question.

What should I do if a table has missing data?

Look for a pattern or trend in the surrounding data points, as the ACT often asks you to interpolate or extrapolate values. If the data increases by a set amount in each row, you can assume the missing value follows that same arithmetic or geometric progression.

Are ACT table questions found in the Math or Science section?

Table questions appear in both sections, though they serve different purposes. In Math, they often require calculations like mean or probability, while in Science, they focus on identifying experimental results and trends.

Can I use a calculator for ACT table questions?

Yes, you can use a permitted calculator on the Math section to handle complex arithmetic derived from a table. However, many table questions are designed to be solved with simple mental math or basic estimation to save time.

How can I avoid misreading the rows and columns?

Align a straight edge, like your answer sheet or a piece of scratch paper, under the row you are analyzing. This physical barrier prevents your eyes from jumping to the wrong line of data, which is a common mistake under testing pressure.