Download Observation & Inference

Observation & Inference
** We will need both in science.
Observations
• Any information collected with the senses.
• Becomes the data in experiments
• There are 2 types:
• Quantitative – measureable or countable,
includes numbers
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3 meters long
4 marbles
50 kilograms
35 degrees Celsius
• Qualitative – description with words
» red flowers
» Round leaves
» Rough texture
Inference
• Conclusions based on observations.
• Used when drawing conclusions in the lab experiment
Practice:
• Observations:
• I hear people screaming
• I smell cotton candy, popcorn, and hamburgers
• I see a lot of people
• Inference = ?
Look at these two sets of
animal tracks.
List 2 OBSERVATIONS
Make an INFERENCE
Now what do you think?
Make 2 OBSERVATIONS
Make an INFERENCE
Now what do you think?
Make 2 OBSERVATIONS
Make an INFERENCE
Be able to tell the observation
from the inference.
1. The leaves are brown with 15 white spots, the plant
may be sick.
1. The temperature is affecting the eggs because only 5 of
the 20 eggs hatched.
1. The fish is swimming upside down, it may be dying.
** We will need both in science.