1.2.7 Practice - Patterns in Data (Practice)
1.2.7 Practice - Patterns in Data (Practice)
In this activity, you will apply what you have learned in the lesson. Please answer
the questions below. Submit this worksheet to your teacher when you are done.
b) What are three types of graphs that can be used to show continuous quantitative
Line graphs, scatter plots, and histograms
data? (1 point)
c) When making a graph, on which axes are the independent variable and the
dependent variable usually placed? (1 point)
The independent variable is on the x-axis and the dependent variable is on the y-axis.
2. The images show data points on scatterplots. A correlation coefficient (r) is listed
below each scatterplot.
b) Look at the graphs with correlation coefficients of r = 0.9 and r = –0.5. What kind
of relationship does each of these r-values indicate? (2 points)
The r for 0.9 is a strong positive linear relationship and for -0.5 it is a negative linear relationship.
3. The scatterplot shows data collected by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention) about influenza, a flu virus.
b) The correlation coefficient for all of the data (r) was calculated as 0.85. What type
of correlation does this show? Explain. (2 points)
Positive correlation because a correlation coefficient of 0.85 indicates a strong positive correlation. This means that as one variable
increases, the other variable also tends to increase.
c) The dark triangles in the graph are outliers. What are outliers, and how do they
affect data? (2 points)
Outliers are values that can distort the interpretation of data by affecting statistical measures.
d) When the outliers in the data were omitted, the correlation coefficient (r′) changed
to 0.86. Why did omitting the outliers change the correlation between the variables?
Outliers can change the correlation coefficient by reducing the influence of extreme values on the relationship between variables.
4. a) Do the data from the influenza study provide evidence of causality? Explain. (3
points)
It does not provide evidence of casualty because the study showed a correlation between influenza infection and certain outcomes.
b) Based on this pattern, what prediction would you make about a sample of people
with a low percentage of people experiencing flu-like symptoms? Would that sample
be likely to have a low or high percentage of people who test positive for influenza?
Explain. (3 points)
A sample of people with a low percentage of flu like symptoms is likely to have a low percentage of people who test positive for influenza.
Rubric
Each question in this activity is worth a specific number of points. The possible point
value is stated at the end of each question. The length of your response will depend
on the type of question.
You can use this general rubric for guidance on how your responses will be scored by
your teacher. Once scoring is complete, your teacher will provide you with feedback
on your performance.
Full points The response addresses all parts of the question completely and
correctly.