Math Lesson: Pick the Right Graph

Pick the Right Graph
(What Would You Use: Part 4)

By: Brink Harrison

Time:	One class period
Preparation Time:	5-10 min copying overheads and homework
Materials:	More Practice with Pie Charts overhead Summary of Graphs overhead Homework sheet

Abstract
A summary of the types of statistical graphs covered in class allows the students to be able to choose the appropriate graph to represent a given set of data.

Purpose – By discussing the advantages and disadvantages of bar graphs, histograms, scatterplots, line graphs, and pie charts as well as the types of data that is best represented by these graphs, the students will be able to decide what type of graph is the appropriate form of display when they create the graphs for their final project on arsenic in their given community.

Objectives
Students will be able to:

i. List the advantages and disadvantages of using bar graphs, histograms, scatterplots, line graphs, and pie charts to represent data
ii. Choose the appropriate type of graph to represent a given a particular set of data

Math Standards
Data Analysis and Probability
Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them
Select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data

Teacher Background
See attached sheet

Related and Resource Websites
http://math.youngzones.org/stat_graph.html
http://www.dur.ac.uk/stat.web/prestest.htm
http://www.statcan.ca/english/edu/power/ch9/sumgraphs/sum.htm

Activity
Go over the previous homework and allow time for students to discuss differences in their work. The pie graphs may look different depending upon which sector was put where, but the whole graph overall should be the same. If students are still struggling with pie charts, put up the More Practice with Pie Charts overhead (http://bdaugherty.tripod.com/KeySkills/pieCharts.html) and have a different student explain each problem.

Put up the Summary of Graphs overhead. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each type of statistical graph mentioned on the overhead. (The overhead is adapted from the website http://math.youngzones.org/stat_graph.html . This website has a much longer list of types of graphs than those shown on the overhead. Only the types of graphs that have been discussed in the past lessons are on the overhead.) If you find yourself short on time, the advantages and disadvantages are listed on the teacher background sheet.

Homework
Do the homework sheet.
Answers:

1) Histogram	6) Scatterplot
2) Pie chart	7) Pie chart
3) Pie chart	8) Pie chart
4) Scatterplot	9) Histogram
5) Bar graph	10) Bar graph

From: http://www.dur.ac.uk/stat.web/prestest.htm

Embedded Assessment
Informal discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the types of statistical graphs you have covered in class will allow you to assess how well the students understand the types of data that are better represented by each type of graph.

PULSE is a project of the Community Outreach and Education Program of the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center and is funded by:

an NIH/NCRR award #16260-01A1

The Community Outreach and Education Program is part of the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center: an NIEHS Award

Supported by NIEHS grant # ES06694

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Last update: March 7, 2007

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