Activity Overview
Students sort data and display it graphically using various plots. They also get familiarized with statistical concepts like measures of spread and central tendency.
Before the Activity
See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
Print pages 11 - 22 from the attached PDF file for your class
During the Activity
Distribute the pages to the class.
Follow the Activity procedures:
Enter the data of building heights as lists
Plot the frequency data as a histogram
Create a frequency table
Observe the effects of changing the class width on the histogram
Using the lower and upper class limits in the frequency table and calculate the class marks
Use the frequency table to calculate the relative frequencies and find the percent of buildings in a class
Plot the relative frequency data as a histogram
Make a copy of the list containing the data for the heights of buildings
Sort the data in ascending order
Create a Stem-and-Leaf Plot
Generate a Dot Plot
Use the listed data or the frequency table to calculate the common measures of central tendency (mean and median) and the measures of spread or variability (standard deviation, variance, interquartile range, and five-number summary)
Use the mean and the standard deviation to determine the standard scores of the smallest and tallest buildings
Observe how many standard deviations away these values are from the mean
Decide whether the data distribution is symmetric or skewed
Find percentiles and quartiles
Create a frequency table and calculate the cumulative relative frequencies
Set up an xy line plot to find the percentile value for a building of given height
Use the data to set up a modified box plot
Calculate a five-number summary
Draw a box plot and view it along with a histogram
Generate multiple box plots, side by side
After the Activity
Review student results:
As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
Re-teach concepts as necessary