Question

Which of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation of the change in ice cream sales?

• A. Because of low demand for its transcontinental flights departing from the airport, one airline ceased offering such flights as of December 31, 1993.
• B. There were fewer airline passengers who were traveling to destinations outside the United States in January 1993 than there were in January 1992.
• C. The average daily number of passengers at the airport in the month of January was the same for each of the three years.
• D. In January 1993 a blizzard forced all flights out of the airport to be canceled for three days, stranding many passengers at the airport.
• E. There were five percent fewer commuter flights scheduled to depart from the airport in January 1993 than there were in January of either 1991 or 1992.

Hint:

When a data interpretation question asks you to explain a change, first identify the most significant change in the visual data. Then, look for an answer choice that provides a logical cause for that specific change, paying close attention to timelines and cause-and-effect relationships.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks for the best explanation for the "change in ice cream sales" shown in the bar graph. We must first identify the most significant change and then evaluate which option provides a plausible cause for that change.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
1. Analyze the graph. The graph shows average daily ice cream sales in dollars for January of three consecutive years. - 1991: Sales are approximately $180. - 1992: Sales are approximately $160, a small decrease. - 1993: Sales are approximately $300, a very large increase from the previous two years. The most significant change that requires explanation is the sharp spike in sales in January 1993.
2. Evaluate the options as potential explanations for the 1993 spike. - (A) An airline ceased flights as of December 31, 1993. This event occurs after January 1993, so it cannot explain the sales in January 1993. - (B) Fewer international passengers in Jan 1993 compared to Jan 1992 would likely lead to fewer sales, not more. This contradicts the data. - (C) If the number of passengers was the same each year, it would provide no explanation for why sales suddenly doubled. This option makes the spike harder to explain. - (D) A blizzard canceling all flights for three days would mean that many passengers were "stranding" at the airport for an extended period. A large, captive audience of stranded travelers would be likely to purchase more food and concessions, including ice cream, leading to a significant, temporary spike in daily sales averages for that month. This provides a direct and strong explanation for the observed data. - (E) Fewer flights and presumably fewer passengers would likely lead to a decrease in sales, which contradicts the data. Step 3: Final Answer:
The blizzard provides a clear reason for an unusually large number of people being confined to the airport for several days, which would plausibly cause a sharp increase in concession sales.