Sarah lives beside the ocean in Eureka, California. Her penpal, Ruby, lives in Redding, California, which is located inland.

Question

As a school project one year, Sarah and Ruby decide to collect local climate data and compare the average monthly high and low temperatures from their cities. The data they collect are shown below.

Month Eureka Average High Eureka Average Low Redding Average High Redding Average Low
January 54°F 41°F 55°F 35°F
February 55°F 43°F 58°F 38°F
March 55°F 43°F 70°F 41°F
April 56°F 45°F 71°F 45°F
May 58°F 48°F 80°F 52°F
June 60°F 51°F 89°F 60°F
July 61°F 52°F 98°F 64°F
August 62°F 53°F 97°F 61°F
September 63°F 51°F 89°F 56°F
October 61°F 49°F 69°F 45°F
November 58°F 45°F 60°F 40°F
December 55°F 42°F 55°F 34°F

Based on the climate data that Sarah and Ruby collect, they can conclude that
A.
locations by the ocean typically do not get as cold in the winter or as hot in the summer as locations that are located inland.
B.
locations by the ocean typically get much less precipitation during the summer than locations that are located inland.
C.
locations by the ocean typically get much colder in the winter and much hotter in the summer than locations that are located inland.
D.
locations by the ocean typically get much less precipitation during the winter than locations that are located inland.

Answer 1

Based on the climate data that Sarah and Ruby collected, the most accurate conclusion is:

A. locations by the ocean typically do not get as cold in the winter or as hot in the summer as locations that are located inland.

This conclusion is supported by the temperature data, which shows that Eureka (by the ocean) has consistently lower average high temperatures in the summer (July and August) compared to Redding (inland) and also experiences milder average low temperatures in the winter months (January and December). This reflects the effect of the ocean on moderating temperatures compared to inland areas.