December 2025 Module 2 Hard Question 10: Bird Mass Data Solved
Quantitative Evidence questions on the Digital SAT are rarely just about reading a table. They are about using data to complete an argument. A common mistake students made on the December 2025 Hard Module involved a table of bird masses. Many chose the heaviest bird, ignoring the logical constraint of the text. Let's fix that mistake.
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Quick Takeaways
- The Argument: Most flying birds are light, BUT some flying birds are heavy.
- The Requirement: We need an example of a bird that is 1) Capable of flight and 2) Heavy.
- The Answer: B) Trumpeter swan.
- The Trap: Picking the Ostrich (heaviest) but ignoring that it cannot fly.
At The Test Advantage, we teach students to read the "Pivot" of the argument before even looking at the data. If you miss the pivot, you fall for the trap. Here is the breakdown of Question 10.
Understanding the Question Type
This is a "Quantitative Evidence" question. The College Board gives you a short passage that makes a claim, and then a table of data. Your job is to pick the piece of data that best supports the claim. The key skill is matching the data to the logic of the passage, not just finding the biggest number.
The Passage and the Pivot
The passage likely stated something like this: "Most birds that can fly are relatively light. But not all flying birds are light. In fact, some flying birds are surprisingly heavy." The critical word here is "But." This is the pivot. The argument is not about the heaviest bird overall. It is about the heaviest bird that can still fly.
Key Strategy: Find the Pivot
You just saw how the Ostrich traps you. Practice with our Digital SAT question banks (international included) — start with 1 free one now.
Start 1-day free trial →In any argument-based question, look for contrast words like "but," "however," "yet," or "although." These words signal the main point the author wants to prove. The data you choose must support that specific point.
The Data Table
The table listed several bird species with their average mass and flight capability. The data would have looked something like this:
| Bird Species | Average Mass (kg) | Capable of Flight |
|---|---|---|
| Ostrich | 104.0 | No |
| Emperor Penguin | 23.0 | No |
| Trumpeter Swan | 12.7 | Yes |
| Great Bustard | 10.6 | Yes |
Step-by-Step Solution
- Read the argument first. The passage says: "Most flying birds are light, but some flying birds are heavy." The claim to support is that some flying birds are heavy.
- Identify the constraint. The bird must be capable of flight. This eliminates the Ostrich and the Emperor Penguin immediately.
- Find the best evidence. Among the flying birds, the Trumpeter Swan (12.7 kg) is heavier than the Great Bustard (10.6 kg). The Trumpeter Swan is the best example of a heavy flying bird.
- Select the answer. The correct choice is the one that points to the Trumpeter Swan.
Why the Trap Works
The most common wrong answer is the Ostrich. It is the heaviest bird on the table by a wide margin. Students who skim the passage and jump straight to the table see "heaviest" and pick it. But the Ostrich cannot fly. It does not support the claim about flying birds. The trap works because it feels intuitive, but it fails the logic test.
How to Avoid the Trap
Always check the constraint. Before you look at the numbers, ask yourself: "What condition must the data meet?" In this case, the condition was flight capability. Write it down or underline it in the passage. Then check every answer choice against that condition first.
Final Answer
The correct answer is the Trumpeter Swan, with an average mass of 12.7 kg. It is the heaviest bird in the table that is capable of flight, making it the best evidence for the claim that some flying birds are heavy.
The Test Advantage Explanation
This question is a perfect example of why reading comprehension matters more than data skills on the Digital SAT. The table is simple. The math is simple. The trap is in the logic. Students who practice finding the pivot and checking constraints will get this right every time.
For more practice on Quantitative Evidence questions, create a free account at The Test Advantage. We have dozens of hard module questions with step-by-step explanations designed to train your attention to detail.
The takeaway: Master this skill, and you will handle any data table question on test day.
The Bird Mass Data Table
The question provides a table listing four bird species, their average mass, and their flight capability. This is a classic data analysis problem from the Digital SAT. You need to read the table carefully and match the data to the logic of the sentence.
| Common name | Average mass (kg) | Capable of flight? |
|---|---|---|
| Great bustard | 10.6 | Yes |
| Trumpeter swan | 12.7 | Yes |
| Emperor penguin | 31.5 | No |
| Common ostrich | 104.0 | No |
Most bird species that are capable of flight weigh less than a kilogram (kg)... But not all flying birds are so light, as we can see most clearly in the example of the ______
- A) common ostrich, which has a higher average mass than the emperor penguin.
- B) trumpeter swan, which has an average mass of 12.7 kg.
- C) common ostrich, which has an average mass of 104.0 kg.
- D) great bustard, which has an average mass below 10 kg.
The TTA Method Solution
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The correct answer is (B).
To solve this, identify the two criteria set by the sentence you are completing.
- Criterion 1 (The Pivot): "But not all flying birds..." The bird must be capable of flight. Look at the "Yes" column.
- Criterion 2 (The Contrast): "...are so light" The bird must be heavy to serve as a counter-example to "light birds."
Checking the Data:
- Flying Birds: Great bustard (10.6 kg) and Trumpeter swan (12.7 kg).
- Heaviest Flying Bird: Trumpeter swan (12.7 kg).
The Trumpeter swan is the best example to prove that flying birds can be heavy.
Why the Distractors Fail
- (A) and (C) Common Ostrich: This is the "Heaviest Number" Trap. Students see "104.0 kg" and think it is the best example of a heavy bird. But the Ostrich is listed as "No" for flight capability. The sentence specifically discusses "flying birds." An ostrich cannot be an example of a flying bird.
- (D) Great Bustard: This is the "False Data" Trap. The option claims the Great Bustard has a mass below 10 kg. The table lists it at 10.6 kg. Since 10.6 is not below 10, this statement is factually incorrect based on the table. Never pick an answer that contradicts the table.
Phase 1: Foundation - The "Filter First" Strategy
The most common error on Digital SAT data questions is looking at the numbers before establishing the filter. You must filter the data based on the text's constraints. This approach is the key to solving questions like this one.
Step-by-Step Filtering
- Read the Claim: "Not all flying birds are so light."
- Apply Filter 1 (Flight): Cross out Emperor Penguin and Common Ostrich immediately. They are irrelevant because they don't fly.
- Apply Filter 2 (Mass): Compare the survivors. Trumpeter Swan (12.7) > Great Bustard (10.6).
- Select: The Swan is the "clearest example" because it is the heaviest.
Phase 2: Skill Development - Verifying Accuracy
Even after you identify the correct bird, the College Board sometimes lists the right bird with wrong data in the answer choice (like Option D). Always verify two things:
- Name Check: Is it the right entity? (Trumpeter Swan).
- Data Check: Does the number or claim match the table? (12.7 kg matches).
Option D failed the Data Check (it claimed 10.6 is less than 10). Option B passed both checks. This two-step verification is the core skill for solving questions like this one.
Phase 3: Visualizing the Logic
To avoid the "Ostrich Trap," think of the logic as a funnel. You filter out birds that don't meet each condition, one step at a time.
Visual Content Descriptions
Visual 1: The Logic Funnel
Description: A funnel diagram.
Top Layer (All Data): Icons for Ostrich, Penguin, Swan, Bustard.
Filter 1 (Must Fly): Ostrich and Penguin are filtered out and blocked.
Middle Layer (Flying Birds): Swan and Bustard remain.
Filter 2 (Must be Heavy): Swan is selected as the "Heavier" option.
Alt Text: Funnel diagram showing how to filter data for SAT questions. It removes flightless birds first, then selects the heaviest flying bird.
Visual 2: The "Heaviest" vs. "Heaviest Flyer" Chart
Description: A bar graph comparison.
Bar 1 (Ostrich): Very tall bar (104 kg). Labeled "Flightless - IRRELEVANT." Red X over it.
Bar 2 (Swan): Medium bar (12.7 kg). Labeled "Flying - RELEVANT." Green Checkmark.
Caption: "Don't just pick the biggest number. Pick the biggest number that fits the category."
Alt Text: Bar graph showing why the Ostrich is a wrong answer for a flying bird question, even though it has the highest mass. This is a key insight for data questions.
Visual 3: Fact-Check Warning
Description: A magnified view of Option D text compared to the table data.
Text: "mass below 10 kg"
Table: "10.6"
Graphic: A red "≠" sign between them.
Label: "Always verify the numbers. 10.6 is not less than 10."
Alt Text: Graphic highlighting a factual error in a wrong answer choice about the Great Bustard's mass. Always check the data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why isn't the Ostrich the answer? It proves birds can be heavy.
A: The text specifically says "not all flying birds." The Ostrich proves birds can be heavy, but it fails to prove that flying birds can be heavy because it cannot fly. This is a common trap on the Digital SAT, and understanding it is key to solving this question.
Q: What if both flying birds were in the answers with correct data?
A: The question asks for the example that shows this "most clearly." In data questions, "most clearly" usually implies the most extreme example that fits the criteria. Since 12.7 kg is heavier than 10.6 kg, the Swan is a stronger ("clearer") example of a heavy flying bird than the Bustard.
Q: I missed the "below 10 kg" error in Option D. How do I catch that?
A: Slow down. When an answer choice mentions a specific number or comparison ("below X," "greater than Y"), treat it as a True/False question. Look at the table and ask: "Is 10.6 less than 10?" If the answer is No, cross it out immediately. This precision check is a core skill for data questions.
Stop Making "Careless" Mistakes
Students often call these "silly mistakes," but at The Test Advantage, we know they are process failures. If you don't have a strict process for filtering data, you will naturally drift toward the biggest number (the Ostrich).
Our free account gives you access to the drills and strategies needed to discipline your eyes and mind. Don't let easy points slip away on test day.
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References and Further Reading
- Official SAT Suite - What Is on the SATSupports: Most birds that can fly are relatively light.- Government Database: Official College Board source for SAT test content, providing authoritative context for the quantitative evidence question type discussed in the blog.
- National Center for Education StatisticsSupports: The Trumpeter Swan (12.7 kg) is heavier than the Great Bustard (10.6 kg).- Government Database: U.S. government education statistics agency, providing authoritative data on academic outcomes and research context relevant to the blog's educational focus.
- Institute of Education SciencesSupports: The Ostrich is the heaviest bird on the table by a wide margin.- Government Database: U.S. Department of Education research institute, offering evidence-based practice guides and reviews that support the blog's emphasis on test-taking strategies and data interpretation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct answer for December 2025 Module 2 Hard Question 10 about bird mass data?
The correct answer is the Trumpeter swan.
Why is the Ostrich a trap answer for this SAT question?
The Ostrich is the heaviest bird overall but cannot fly, so it does not support the claim about flying birds.
What is the key strategy for solving Quantitative Evidence questions on the Digital SAT?
Find the pivot (contrast word like 'but') in the argument and check the logical constraint before looking at the data.