Question

This graph shows student loan debt in the United States from 1994 to 2009.

A graph titled Average Total Student Loan Debt for Undergraduate Education has years on the x-axis and total borrowed in 2013 U S dollars on the y-axis. In 1994 the amount was 10,000, in 2001 the amount was 18,000, and in 2009 the amount was 25,000.

What trend does the graph demonstrate?

Student loan debt will most likely decrease in the coming years.
Students have taken out higher and higher loans since 1994.
Enrollment for higher education will soon begin to decrease.
Tuition for higher education has risen steadily since 1994.

Answer 1

Students have taken out higher and higher loans since 1994.

The graph shows a steady increase in average undergraduate loan debt from about $10,000 (1994) to $25,000 (2009). The other choices are not supported by this data (it doesn’t show a decrease, enrollment trends, or directly prove tuition increases).