AP Biology Graphing Practice Packet

Graphing is an important procedure used by scientists to display the data that is collected
during a controlled experiment. When a graph is put together incorrectly, it detracts the reader
from understanding what you are trying to present. Most graphs have 5 major parts:
1. Title
2. Independent Variable (X-axis)
3. Dependent Variable (Y-axis)
4. Scale for each variable
5. Legend (or Key)
A. Title: Depicts what the graph is about. The Title gives the reader an understanding about
the graph. A good title is closer to a sentence than a phrase and is usually found at the top
of the graph.
B. Independent Variable: Variable controlled by the experimenter. The variable that “I” am
testing. (I for Independent). Common independent variables include: time, generations,
measurements (length, distance), and temperature. This variable goes on the X-axis.
C. Dependent Variable: Variable that is affected by the independent variable; what the
experimenter measures. Example: How many oxygen bubbles will depend on the depth of
the water. This variable goes on the Y-axis.
D. Scale: Before you can plot your data points, you must figure out how much each box on
your graph paper is worth. Scale doesn’t’ always have to start at zero, but I must be
consistent. If you start off making each box worth 5 cm, each subsequent box must also be
5 cm. Always make sure your scale is labeled with what it is and what the units are.
E. Legend: A short description about the graph’s data. Most often used to show what different
patterns or colors stand for on your graph.

Rules and Tips for Graphing:

1. Always use a pencil to draw your graph. It’s easier to fix mistakes (Or use Excel!).
2. Always draw lines with a ruler. Do not freehand. Use at least half of your paper for the
graph.
3. Make sure Independent Variable is on the X-axis and Dependent Variable is on the Y-
axis.
4. Include all parts:
a. Title
b. Axis Labels WITH Units
c. Legend
5. If you are graphing multiple subjects, use different colored or patterned lines and
explain what they are in the legend.
6. Choose an appropriate graph to explain your data. Examples:
a. LINE: Measuring a change in something over time

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b. BAR: Comparing individuals to each other with only one data point.
c. PIE: Show percentages that add up to 100%.

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Experiment 2: Use the following data to create an appropriate graph and answer the questions.

Time after eating (Hours) Glucose in mg/dL Person A Glucose in mg/dL Person B
0.5 170 180
1 155 195
1.5 140 230
2 135 245
2.5 140 235
3 135 225
4 130 200

10. Which individual would you potentially diagnose as diabetic?

11. What evidence do you have that supports your answer to #10?
jeans12. IF the time period was extended to 6 hours, what would be the expected blood glucose level for
Person A? ________ Person B? __________ (assume they don’t eat again).

13. What conclusion can you make about the data and graph for experiment 1?

14. What evidence did you use to support your conclusion?

15. What conclusion can you make about the data and graph for experiment 2?

16. What evidence did you use to support your conclusion?

17. What other type of graph could you have created for experiment 1? For experiment 2?

Interpreting Graphs
In addition to being able to draw a graph based on data collected, you will also need to interpret data
given to you in graph form. Answer the following questions based on the graphs presented. NOTE: Most
of these are NOT examples of great graphs, they are for interpretation practice only.

Identify the graph that matches each of the following stories:

18. _______I had just left home when I realized I had forgotten my books so I went back to pick
them up.
19. _______Things went fine until I had a flat tire.
20. _______I started out calmly, but sped up when I realized I was going to be late.

Important Note for Line graphs:

-Don't plot at the origin unless it's a data point
-Connect the points in order
-Use a straight, not curved line
-Keep your interval even on the scale, don't skip
-Only plot the data given, don't assume
-Don't extend your line beyond the last point
The graph to the right represents the typical day of a teenager. Answer the questions:

21. _______What percent of the day is spent

watching TV?
22. _______How many hours are spend
sleeping?
23. What activity takes up the least amount of
time?

24. What activity takes up a quarter of the day?

25. What two activities take up 50% of the day?

26. What two activities take up 25% of the day?

Answer the questions about the graph

to the right:

27. How many total miles did the car

travel?

28. Describe the motion of the car

between hours 5 & 12.

29. What direction is represented by

line CD?

30. How many miles were traveled in

the first two hours of the trip?
More Graphing Information:

LINE GRAPHS:
Line graphs are most often used to show continuous change. Most scientific graphs are lines graphs.
Examine the following data:

Population of the United States 1880-1990

Year Population (Millions) Year Population (Millions)
1881 50.2 1940 131.7
1890 62.9 1950 151.3
1900 76 1960 179.2
1910 92 1970 203.2
1920 105.7 1980 226.5
1930 122.8 1990 251.4

In the example given above, both the year and the populations are variables. The factor which is
changed or manipulated, in this case the year, is called the independent variable (IV). The measured
effect of the IV is called the dependent variable (DV). The population is determined by the year;
therefore, the population is the dependent variable. Another way to think about the IV and DV is to
think about the amount of sleep you get. You know how alert or tired you feel often depends on the
number of hours of sleep you got the night before. The amount of sleep is the IV an; your alertness is
the DV. Throughout your year of AP Biology, you will be asked to identify variables in many different
investigations.

Review “rules and tips for graphing” from front page for how to set up graphs.

Using line graphs to make predictions:

To predict what the population of the
US was in the year 2000, you will need
to go beyond the data points on the
graph. This is called extrapolation. We
can also use graph to find data point
between two sets of plotted data pairs.
For example, we can read the graph to
determine that the population of the
United States in 1905 was
approximately 84 million people.
Determining data points between two
sets of data pairs is called interpolating.

Bar Graphs:
Bar graphs should be used for data that are not continuous. It is a good indicator fo trends if the data
are taken of a sufficiently long period of time.

Examples of when to use bar graphs: When comparing different groups. When trying to measure large
changes over time.
 Homework page. Submit edited work on Classroom
11. After an outbreak of influenza, a student gathered data on the number of students who became ill,
until she became sick on the 14th day of her study. The information she gathered is shown below. Create
a line graph of the data below.

Number of ill Questions:

Date (Feb., 1996)
Students
1 12 12. On what day were most students ill?

May 6
2 18
3 30
4 49 13. During which period of time did the most students
5 115 become ill?
6 127

Δ
Days 5 11
7 125
8 107
9 108 14. What was the greatest number of students who were
10 115 ill on any one day?
11 117
12 95 127
13 60
15. Estimate the total number of students who were ill on
14 52
the 15th day.

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