Organizing Data
Student Summary
Consider the data collected from pulling back a toy car and then letting it go forward. In the first table, the data may not seem to have an obvious pattern. The second table has the same data and shows that both values are increasing together.
Unorganized table:
| distance pulled back (in) | distance traveled (in) |
|---|---|
| 6 | 23.57 |
| 4 | 18.48 |
| 10 | 38.66 |
| 8 | 31.12 |
| 2 | 13.86 |
| 1 | 8.95 |
Organized table:
| distance pulled back (in) | distance traveled (in) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8.95 |
| 2 | 13.86 |
| 4 | 18.48 |
| 6 | 23.57 |
| 8 | 31.12 |
| 10 | 38.66 |
A scatter plot of the data makes the pattern clear enough that we can estimate how far the car will travel when it is pulled back 5 in.
Patterns in data can sometimes become more obvious when reorganized in a table or when represented in scatter plots or other diagrams. If a pattern is observed, it can sometimes be used to make predictions. This is a scatter plot for this scenario:
Visual / Anchor Chart
