How much did the United States recycle?

1194984904195212103recycling_symbol_a.j._as_01.svg.hiGrade level: 3rd – 5th grades

Skills: Bar graph

Related environmental issues: Reduce, reuse & recycle

Area level: National

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The bar graph shows recycling rates of waste in the United States between 1960 and 2013. Recycling rates mean how many percentage of discarded trash was recycled.

1.Had the recycling rate in the United States increased or decreased between 1960 and 2013?

2.In which year, the recycling rate increased the most?

3.Fill in the blank. The recycling rate in 2013 is ______ times more than the recycling rate in 1960.

Source: US EPA

The numbers in 1960 and 2013 are slightly modified to fit the purpose of the problem.

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Answer keys

  1. Increased
  2. 2010
  3. 7 times (35/5=7)