Download Graphing Activity

Name ______________________ Hour_____
Using Graphing Skills
Pre-Lab Discussion:
Recorded data can be plotted on a graph. A graph is a pictorial representation of information recorded
in a data table. It is used to show a relationship between two or more different factors. Two common
types of graphs are line graphs and bar graphs.
Line graphs illustrate the relationship between two major variables. The independent variable is charted
on the horizontal axis, while the dependent is plotted along the vertical axis. Because line graphs display
small increases and decreases, they are often considered to be very accurate. These graphs can also
handle many different categories clearly. Because line graphs display small increases and decreases,
they are often considered to be very accurate. These graphs can also handle many different categories
clearly.
Compare the following two charts showing the same data.
3.5
3.5
3
3
2.5
2.5
2
2
1.5
1.5
1
1
0.5
0.5
0
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Both contain the exact same data, but Graph A displays it as a line chart and Graph B as a bar graph.
Which one is easier to read? Which one would you prefer to work with? Would it depend on the
questions you needed to answer?
Procedure
Part A: Interpreting Graphs
1. The type of graph that best shows the relationship between two variables is the line graph. A line
graph has one or more lines connecting a series of points. Along the horizontal axis, or x-axis, you
will find the most independent variable in the experiment. Along the vertical axis, or y- axis, you
will find the dependent variable.
2. Use the line graph in Figure 1 to answer questions 1 through 6 on your data sheet.
Growth in Plants Over a Twenty Day Period
Growth of Plant (cm)
12
10
8
Plant 1
6
Plant 2
Plant 3
4
2
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
Days
3. Use the bar graph in Figure 2 to answer questions 7 though 11 on your data sheet
Red Blood Cell Count During Human Growth
Months
1
14 2
+
(M
14 )
+
(F
)
10
8
6
4
2
12
10
8
6
4
2
Bi
rt
h
Average
RBC count
(million/
mm3 of
blood)
5.8
5.7
5.6
5.5
5.4
5.3
5.2
5.1
5
4.9
USING
4.8 GRAPHING SKILLS: STUDENT DATA SHEET
4.7
4.6
4.5
4.4
Years
Time
Part A: Interpreting Graphs
Use the line graph in Figure 2 to answer questions 1-6
1. Which plant grew the tallest? ____________________________________________________________
2. How many plants grew to be at least 6 cm tall? _______________________________________________
3. Which plant grew the fastest in the first five days? ___________________________________________
4. Which line represents plot 2? ____________________________________________________________
5. After 10 days, how much had plant 3 grown? __________________________________________________
6. How long did it tale for plant 1 to grow 6 cm? _________________________________________________
Use the bar graph in Figure 4 to answer questions 7 through 11
7. At birth, what is the average number of red blood cells per mm3 of blood? ____________________________
8. What appears to happen to the number of red blood cells between birth and 2 months? __________________
9. What happens to the number of red blood cells between the ages of 6 and 8 years? _____________________
10. Between what ages is a human most likely to have 4.6 million red blood cells? __________________________
11. After 14 years of age, do males or females have a higher red blood cell count? _________________________
Part B. Constructing Graphs- Use the information in the data table below to construct a line graph in the grid
below.
Data Table 1: Breathing Rate of the Freshwater Sunfish
Temperature (oC)
10
15
18
20
23
25
27
Breathing rate
(per minute)
15
25
30
38
60
57
25
12. Use the grid below to construct a bar graph for the information shown in Data Table 2.
Data Table 2: Average Rainfall in Berger Valley
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Month
Rainfall
15
21
28
24
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
16
8
2
1
2
3
5
10
Analysis and Conclusions:
1. How is a graph similar to a data table? _______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. How is a dine graph different from a bar graph? (Do not say “one uses lines and the other uses bars”!) _______
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Does a steep curve on a line graph indicate a rapid or slow rate of change? ____________________________
Critical Thinking and Application
1. You are conducting an experiment to measure the gain in mass of a young mouse over a ten week period. In
constructing a graph to represent your data, which variable should you place along the x-axis and which should you
place on the y- axis? Explain you answer. _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is an advantage of using multiple lines on a line graph? (See Figure 2) ____________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why is it important to have all parts of a graph clearly labeled and drawn? ____________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________