Ordered Stem and Leaf Plots
Stem and leaf plots separate data into its units component and its tens (and above) component.
They then display the units on the right in the leaf section and the tens on left in a stem
column. The effect is to break the data up into classes and also display a simple column graph
(on its side) of numbers showing the way the data is spread.
Stem Leaf
Numbers have their units removed so:
0 9
23 becomes a 2 and a 3
15 becomes a 1 and a 5 1 5
9 (is seen as 09) becomes a 0 and a 9
2 3
In a plot this looks like the plot shown above. But what about larger numbers?
Stem Leaf
106 becomes a 10 and a 6
117 becomes a 11 and a 7 10 6
125 becomes a 12 and a 5
11 70
120 becomes a 12 and a 0
110 becomes a 11 and a 0 12 50
Because the units have two digits in front, both digits are shown in the Stem column.
When all data has been entered into the plot, the plot then Stem Leaf Stem Leaf
has to be rewritten in order. The stem stays the same, but
10 6 Leaf 10 6
the leaf is put into ascending order. That is it!
11 70 in 11 07
order
12 50 12 05
Negative numbers occur in data and they can also be displayed in stem and leaf plots.
Example. Place the data into a Stem and Leaf Plot
Data: 5, 8, 12, -3, -7, 17, -8, 25, 10, -23, -5, 0 Stem Leaf Stem Leaf
The lowest value is -23 so the stem starts at -2 -2 3 -2 3
The highest value is 25 so the stem ends at 2.
-1 -1
Note that with negative numbers, the stem has Leaf
-0 3785 -0 3578
the minus sign, the leaf just has positive
numbers. 0 580 in 0 058
order
1 270 1 027
2 5 2 5
Ordered Stem and Leaf Plots
© FREEFALL MATHEMATICS - FREEFALL MATHEMATICS ALTITUDE BOOK 2 - LICENSED FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE
Display the data sets in Raw then Ordered 4 Data: 220, 195, 206, 212, 184, 177, 209,
Stem and Leaf plots. Dont use commas! 195, 191, 204, 173, 168, 188, 228,
219, 176, 192, 213, 201, 180, 171.
1 Data: 23, 17, 35, 21, 30, 8, 11, 24, 6, 9, 17,
21, 32, 3, 11, 13. Stem Leaf Stem Leaf
RAW ORDERED
Tens Units Tens Units
0 0
1 1
2 2
3 3
2 Data: 74, 97, 70, 106, 92, 100, 86, 91, 97,
85, 110, 83, 101, 95, 79, 90, 103, 85. 5 How many scores were over 200?
6 How many scores were even?
RAW ORDERED
7 What percentage of scores were less than
Stem Leaf Stem Leaf 180?
=
7 Answer to 2 d.p.
8 Round the data to the nearest whole number then
display the rounded data in a Stem & Leaf plot.
9
8 Data: 16.5, 4.07, 10.3, 5.91, 21.6, -3.5, -7,
10 -17.1, 37.7, -4, 11.2, -19.55, 18.48, -9, 38.64, 2.2,
13.36, -9.94, -7, 18.57, 20.8, 13.25, -4.81, 0.43,
11
-2.88, 35.95, -9.46, -19.3, 14.19, 20.72, 13.06.
3 Data: 5, 19, -3, 13, 27, -12, 8, 17, -6, 28, 0,
Stem Leaf Stem Leaf
-10, 18, -1, -26, 14, 11, -15, 20, -8.
Negative data uses the negative tens in the stem but are
written in the units (or leaf) as positive numbers.
Stem Leaf Stem Leaf
-2
-1
-0
2
Ordered Stem and Leaf Plots
© FREEFALL MATHEMATICS - FREEFALL MATHEMATICS ALTITUDE BOOK 2 - LICENSED FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE
Display the data sets in Raw then Ordered 4 Data: 220, 195, 206, 212, 184, 177, 209,
Stem and Leaf plots. Dont use commas! 195, 191, 204, 173, 168, 188, 228,
219, 176, 192, 213, 201, 180, 171.
1 Data: 23, 17, 35, 21, 30, 8, 11, 24, 6, 9, 17,
21, 32, 3, 11, 13. Stem Leaf Stem Leaf
RAW ORDERED 16 8 16 8
Tens Units Tens Units 17 7361 17 1367
18 480 18 048
0 8693 0 3689
19 5512 19 1255
1 71713 1 11377
20 6941 20 1469
2 3141 2 1134
21 293 21 239
3 502 3 025
22 08 22 08
2 Data: 74, 97, 70, 106, 92, 100, 86, 91, 97,
85, 110, 83, 101, 95, 79, 90, 103, 85. 5 How many scores were over 200? 9 scores
6 How many scores were even? 11 scores
RAW ORDERED
7 What percentage of scores were less than
Stem Leaf Stem Leaf 180? 5
× 100 = 23.81 %
21
7 409 7 049 Answer to 2 d.p.
8 6535 8 3556 Round the data to the nearest whole number then
display the rounded data in a Stem & Leaf plot.
9 721750 9 012577
8 Data: 16.5, 4.07, 10.3, 5.91, 21.6, -3.5, -7,
10 6013 10 0136 -17.1, 37.7, -4, 11.2, -19.55, 18.48, -9, 38.64, 2.2,
13.36, -9.94, -7, 18.57, 20.8, 13.25, -4.81, 0.43,
11 0 11 0
-2.88, 35.95, -9.46, -19.3, 14.19, 20.72, 13.06.
3 Data: 5, 19, -3, 13, 27, -12, 8, 17, -6, 28, 0,
Stem Leaf Stem Leaf
-10, 18, -1, -26, 14, 11, -15, 20, -8.
Negative data uses the negative tens in the stem but are -2 0 -2 0
written in the units (or leaf) as positive numbers.
-1 709 -1 079
Stem Leaf Stem Leaf
-0 47497539 -0 34457799
-2 6 -2 6
0 4620 0 0246
-1 205 -1 025
1 701839343 1 013334789
-0 3618 -0 1368
2 211 2 112
0 580 0 058
3 896 3 689
1 937841 1 134789
2 780 2 078
