Data and Graphs Contents
Data and Graphs Contents
Contents
Introduction ................................................................... 4
Average ........................................................................... 47
Average (Mean) ............................................................. 50
Mean, Mode, and Bar Graphs ...................................... 53
Circle Graphs ................................................................. 55
Review ............................................................................. 57
Answers ........................................................................... 59
The book starts with the easiest topics: reading and making bar graphs, histograms, and various kinds of
line graphs. Most of these lessons are best suited for 4th and 5th grades.
The goals for the study of bar graphs are similar to those for the study of line graphs, in that the student
will need to:
z read bar graphs, including double bar graphs, and answer questions about already plotted data
z draw bar graphs and histograms from a given set of data.
In order to make histograms, it is necessary to understand how to group the data into categories (“bins”).
The lesson Making Histograms explains the method we use to make categories if the numerical data is not
already categorized.
Toward the end of the book, we study average (also called the mean) and mode, and how these two
concepts relate to line and bar graphs. This is also meant for 4th-5th grades. Other math curricula also
introduce the median, but I decided to omit it from this book. There is plenty of time to learn that concept
later. Introducing all three concepts at the same time tends to jumble them together and become confusing
— so that many students just grasp the calculation procedures. I feel it is better initially to just introduce
and contrast the two concepts of the mean and mode, in order to give the student a solid foundation.
Lastly, we study Circle Graphs. However, to create circle graphs, the student needs to calculate
percentages. This topic is normally studied in 6th grade. So the lesson about circle graphs may be left to
study in 6th or 7th grade.
Measures Activity
Enter your own data and the program will calculate mean, median, mode, range and some other statistical
measures.
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/Measures/
Create a Graph
Kids can create bar graphs, line graphs, pie graphs, area graphs, and xyz graphs to view, print, and save.
http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx
Circle Grapher
A tool to graph data sets in a circle graph. You can input your own data or alter a pre-made data set.
http://illuminations.nctm.org/activitydetail.aspx?id=60
Stem-and-Leaf
Enter the values and this web page creates your stem-and-leaf plot for you.
http://www.mrnussbaum.com/graph/sl.htm