Question

body length, filter time, and lunges per dive for four whale species
whale species typical adult body length (meters) average time to filter all engulfed water (seconds) average number of lunges per dive deeper than 10 meters
fin 18 - 23 31.30 3.96
humpback 11 - 17 17.12 6.28
minke 7 - 10 8.88 7.44
blue 24 - 34 60.27 4.03
some whale species practice lunge - feeding, in which they lunge toward prey with their mouths open at wide angles, collect the prey and the surrounding water, and then filter out the water through baleen plates in their mouths. although the volume of water engulfed increases with whales body length, the surface area of whales baleen plates, which influences the rate at which water can be filtered, does not increase with body length at the same degree. which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
choose 1 answer:
minke whales and humpback whales show similar average filter times.
blue whales show the longest average filter time and the highest average number of lunges per dive.
humpback whales show an average of 6.28 lunges per dive.
fin whales show a longer average filter time than minke whales do.

Explanation:

We need to analyze the data in the table. The table gives body - length, average filter time, and average number of lunges per dive for four whale species. We check each option against the data. Option A: Minke whales have an average filter time of 8.88 seconds and humpback whales have 17.12 seconds, so they don't have similar average filter times. Option B: Blue whales have the longest average filter time (60.27 seconds) but not the highest average number of lunges per dive (fin whales have 9.95 lunges per dive compared to blue whales' 4.03). Option C: Humpback whales do show an average of 6.28 lunges per dive according to the table. Option D: Fin whales have an average filter time of 31.30 seconds and minke whales have 8.88 seconds, so fin whales show a longer average filter time. But the question asks for the most effective use of data to complete the statement, and Option C is a simple and accurate statement based on the table data.

Answer:

C. humpback whales show an average of 6.28 lunges per dive.