Activity Overview
It can be difficult at times to think of examples of scatterplots with no correlation. Here is a good one.
Before the Activity
Discuss the purpose of using scatterplots and what we mean by correlation between two different types of data.
During the Activity
Have students work in pairs or small groups to measure their heights and their body temperatures (this can easily be done by holding a temp probe in a closed hand for a few minutes). Each student should record their own height into L1 and their own body temp into L2.
When students have logged into TI-Navigator, force collect the information from all students. Then force send the information back so that all students have all the data.
Students should next log out of TI-Navigator and use the information to create a scatterplot. Use the screen capture feature to monitor progress. Students might also choose to create the graph by hand on graph paper.
Does the graph show positive, negative, or no correlation?
Discuss the window settings that the calculator "chose" for display. Are the intervals on the x-axis the same or different from those on the y-axis? Does changing the settings make a difference in our earlier decision about positive, negative, or no correlation?
After the Activity
This activity could easily be adapted to show positive correlations (example: height to how high you can jump) or negative correlations (the number of weeks that a film has been in theaters and its attendance).