Problem Solving with Dot Plots (Math TEKs 3.8A & 3.8B)

A dot plot is a simple way to display data using dots above a number line, where each dot represents one data point.

To read a dot plot, count the number of dots above each value on the number line to see how many times that value occurs.

Each dot represents one occurrence of a data point.

Add up all the dots above the values to find the total number of items.

A dot plot helps to visualize data and make it easier to see patterns, trends, and frequencies.

The mode is the number that appears most frequently in a data set.

Look for the value with the most dots above it; that value is the mode.

The range is the difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.

Identify the highest and lowest values represented in the dot plot and subtract the lowest from the highest.

A symmetrical dot plot has a balanced distribution of data points on either side of the center.