Prices at the pump.

• Position: GRAPH: ECONOMY

Like the prices of other commodities, the amount Americans pay for a gallon of gasoline is largely shaped by supply and demand [see article, p. 10]. Because of upheaval, in the Middle East that's reducing supply and rising demand in many parts of the world, prices at U.S. pumps have been on the rise. By summer, the national, average may be as high as $5 per gallon--about five times what it was just over a decade ago. Local prices may be higher or tower than the national average, depending on state taxes, distribution costs, and other factors.

This line graph shows the national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline from 1999 to today, To determine the average price in January of a particular year, find the intersection of the jagged graph line with the vertical line representing that year.

ANALYZE THE GRAPH

1 In 1999, the average price of a gallon of regular gas reached a low of about--.

a 63 cents

b 94 cents

c $1.10

d $1.35

2 The average price of a gallon of gas in January 2012 was--it was in January 2006.

a about $1 greater than

b about 50 cents greater than

c about double what

d a few cents more than

3 Which of these years saw the greatest drop in the average price of a gallon of gas?

a 2000

b 2003

c 2008

d 2010

4 From 2007 to 2012, the average price of a gallon of gas--.

a rose above $4 twice

b remained steady at about $3

c reached a five-year high and low in the same year

d fluctuated between a low of $1 and a high of $5

5 You can infer from the graph that fluctuations in the average price of gas--.

a are common

b...