Analyzing Data

5 min

Narrative

The mathematical purpose of this activity is for students to write a statistical question for dropping and catching a ruler under different conditions.

Launch

Arrange students in groups of 2.

Demonstrate how to drop the ruler and how to measure the distance dropped. Show this video if necessary.

Ruler Drop Demonstration

Explain that the ruler is being held by one person at the 12 inch mark and is caught by another person just below the 7 inch mark. The distance the ruler fell is about 6 inches. For groups struggling to think of conditions that might be interesting, here are some examples to help them get started:

  • Standing and sitting
  • Listening to music and quiet
  • Listening to a favorite song and one that is less interesting
  • Releasing quickly after they are ready and waiting at least 3 seconds after they are ready before dropping

Student Task

To test reaction time, the person running the test will hold a ruler at the 12 inch mark. The person whose reaction time is being tested will hold their thumb and forefinger open on either side of the flat side of the ruler at the 0 inch mark on the other side of the ruler. The person running the test will drop the ruler and the other person should close their fingers as soon as they notice the ruler moving to catch it. The distance that the ruler fell should be used as the data for this experiment.

With your partner, write a statistical question that can be answered by comparing data from two different conditions for the test.

Sample Response

Sample response: Is my partner’s reaction time faster if I drop the ruler while my partner is standing on two feet or while my partner is standing on one foot?

Activity Synthesis (Teacher Notes)

The goal of this discussion is to make sure that everyone has a statistical question about reaction time that will require collecting data from two different conditions to test.

Check student questions and assist them in creating a question that meets the requirement. Here are some questions for discussion.

  • “What are your two conditions?” (Standing on one foot and standing on both feet.)
  • “How are you going to collect these data values?” (I will hold and drop the ruler while my partner stands on one foot. Then I will repeat this while my partner is standing on two feet.)
  • “How many trials do you think you should do under each condition?” (At least ten)
Standards
Building Toward
  • HSS-ID.A.1·Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms, and box plots).
  • HSS-ID.A.2·Use statistics appropriate to the shape of the data distribution to compare center (median, mean) and spread (interquartile range, standard deviation) of two or more different data sets.
  • HSS-ID.A.3·Interpret differences in shape, center, and spread in the context of the data sets, accounting for possible effects of extreme data points (outliers).
  • S-ID.1·Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms, and box plots).
  • S-ID.1·Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms, and box plots).
  • S-ID.1·Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms, and box plots).
  • S-ID.2·Use statistics appropriate to the shape of the data distribution to compare center (median, mean) and spread (interquartile range, standard deviation) of two or more different data sets.
  • S-ID.2·Use statistics appropriate to the shape of the data distribution to compare center (median, mean) and spread (interquartile range, standard deviation) of two or more different data sets.
  • S-ID.2·Use statistics appropriate to the shape of the data distribution to compare center (median, mean) and spread (interquartile range, standard deviation) of two or more different data sets.
  • S-ID.3·Interpret differences in shape, center, and spread in the context of the data sets, accounting for possible effects of extreme data points (outliers).
  • S-ID.3·Interpret differences in shape, center, and spread in the context of the data sets, accounting for possible effects of extreme data points (outliers).
  • S-ID.3·Interpret differences in shape, center, and spread in the context of the data sets, accounting for possible effects of extreme data points (outliers).

25 min