Minds On

Analyzing data

Explore the following bar graph about the jobs that people have in Smalltown.

Think about the following questions:

  • Do you think that this graph represents most people in the community? Why or why not?
  • What types of jobs do you think could be under Sales?
  • What information is missing from this graph?

Throughout this learning activity, record your thoughts digitally, orally, or in print.

Action

What does the data say?

A local traffic planner wanted to learn more about the traffic patterns in a neighbourhood. They began watching the traffic flow and recording the information daily on a calendar.

Explore the calendar.

Complete the following using the traffic calendar.

Record your ideas in a method of your choice.

  1. Create a frequency table or a detailed audio description using the data on the calendar.
  2. Make three conclusions about the traffic data.
  3. Who would this data help and why?
  4. What argument could be made about this data?

Press ‘Hint’ to reveal more about frequency tables.

A frequency table lists the options in the first column and then has a column to place the tally that is recorded when the question is asked. The third column is for the number of tally marks for each row. Tally marks are organized into groups of 5.

Consolidation

Your turn

The mayor of a city would like to put a park on the field next to a school.

Answer the following questions:

  1. What information does the mayor need before planning for the park?
  2. How could the mayor decide which park equipment to install?
  3. What different surveys could the mayor conduct to help decide?
  4. If you were being surveyed, what park equipment would you like to have at the park?
  5. Do you think children who are in Grade 1 would like the same equipment that children in Grade 5 would like? Why or why not?

Think about your learning

If the mayor turned two different surveys into frequency tables, and then graphed the data:

What data might be represented by a bar graph? Why?

What data could he represent by a pictograph? Why?

Record your ideas on paper, on the computer, or in an audio recording.

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity?  Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel…

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.