Ask Questions That Anticipate Variation
Identify whether the question expects varied data.
About 25 minutes, plus any extended practice
Supplied materials
- Paper and a pencil; drawing and spoken explanations are welcome. An adult may read directions and options aloud.
- Supplied worked-case record: Times are 2,3,3,5,7 minutes.
- All quantities and shape descriptions are supplied in the worked example and questions; no purchase or personal information is needed.
Learn the idea
A statistical question expects multiple observations with possible variation, such as how long several supplied tasks take. A question about one fixed value need not be statistical. Dot plots preserve individual values; histograms group values into stated intervals. Interval boundaries must be explicit so observations are not counted twice.
Identify whether the question expects varied data. Use the supplied observations to make one mark each or place each in one stated histogram interval. Count all plotted observations to check the display matches the record.
Specify what was observed and its measurement unit. Histogram bins must give each observation exactly one home. Write the question, measurement unit, and explicit interval boundaries above the display.
- Write the question, measurement unit, and explicit interval boundaries above the display.
- Work through the supplied example and label what each number or attribute represents.
- Identify whether the question expects varied data.
- Answer the check, then try the three changed-input practice questions and explain one correction.
See the method in action
Times are 2,3,3,5,7 minutes. Asking how these task times vary is statistical. A dot plot has one mark at two, two at three, one at five, and one at seven. With bins [0,4) and [4,8), counts are three and two; four belongs only in the second bin. Specify what was observed and its measurement unit. Histogram bins must give each observation exactly one home. Write the question, measurement unit, and explicit interval boundaries above the display.
Check your reasoning
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Helpful tips
- Specify what was observed and its measurement unit.
- Histogram bins must give each observation exactly one home.
See the answer and explanation
How long do these ten tasks take?
Task durations can differ and are summarized as a distribution.
Take it further
Plot 1,1,4,6,6,7 and use bins [0,4),[4,8). Expected: six marks; bin counts 2 and 4.
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More practice: try new cases
Choose an answer for each problem. Explain your method on paper, then use the feedback to decide what to revisit.
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Check the subject sources
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