7.5 Tables, Rosters, and Log Interpretation
Key Takeaways
- Table questions measure careful scanning, not just arithmetic.
- Read column headings, row labels, dates, and footnotes before choosing numbers from a roster or log.
- Many table errors come from using the wrong row, wrong time period, or wrong category.
- Tables can combine reading comprehension, problem solving, and basic math in one item.
Turning a Table Into the Right Answer
Corrections work uses lists: rosters, movement logs, shift assignments, property sheets, count sheets, incident summaries, program schedules, and transport lists. A written exam can use a table to test reading comprehension and arithmetic at the same time. The math may be easy, but the table can hide the right numbers among similar labels.
Start with the title and time period. A weekly incident table is different from a single-day log. A housing-unit roster is different from a transport list. If a question asks for Tuesday afternoon movement, do not use the weekly total unless the prompt asks for it. If a table separates scheduled, completed, canceled, and pending tasks, choose the category named in the question.
Next, read the column headings. A column labeled assigned may not mean present. A column labeled returned may not include new arrivals. A column labeled total may include categories that the question wants excluded. Footnotes matter because they can define abbreviations or explain that one category is counted elsewhere.
| Step | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title and date range | Prevents using the wrong time period |
| 2 | Row label | Prevents mixing housing units, posts, or shifts |
| 3 | Column heading | Prevents confusing assigned, present, absent, and total |
| 4 | Footnote or rule | Identifies exclusions or special categories |
| 5 | Question verb | Shows whether to add, subtract, compare, or rank |
Suppose a table lists Monday movement for Unit B: arrivals 5, transfers out 3, releases 2, temporary court trips 4, returns from court 3. If the question asks for net assignment change, use arrivals, transfers out, and releases: 5 minus 3 minus 2 equals 0. Court trips and returns affect presence during the day but not net assignment.
If the question asks how many people from Unit B were still away at the end of the period, compare court trips and returns: 4 left and 3 returned, so 1 remained away. The same row supports different answers because the question uses a different category.
Some table items ask for a maximum, minimum, or rank. Do not calculate all totals unless needed. If the question asks which shift had the fewest delayed rounds, scan the delayed-round column only. If two choices tie, reread whether the question asks for fewest delays, lowest rate, or lowest total tasks.
When you practice, cover the answer choices until you know what number or comparison you need. Answer choices can be designed around common mistakes, such as using the total column instead of the pending column. The reliable method is table first, question second, calculation third, answer choice last.
What should you read before selecting numbers from a roster table?
A movement table shows 5 arrivals, 3 transfers out, 2 releases, and 4 court trips. What is the net assignment change?
Why can the same table row support two different correct calculations?