Line plots

​What is a line plot?

A line plot is a type of graph. Line plots show data with dots or Xs along a number line. Line plots can also be called dot plots.
For example, this line plot shows the number of children in each family on Josh's street.

​Each dot shows one family. The numbers on the number line show the number of children. So, you can tell how many children are in the families on Josh's street:

​Making line plots

You can make a line plot from a data set. Your data set might be in a list, a table, or a tally chart.
Let's try it! Make a line plot using the data in the table below.
Alexa recorded the number of times each person in her family won a game during family game night.

​First, make a number line. The number of wins ranges from 0 wins to 3 wins. So, draw a number line from 0 to 3.

​Now, draw dots or Xs to show the data from the table.
One person had 0 wins, so draw one data point above 0.
Three people had 1 win, so draw three data points above 1.
Nobody had 2 wins, so you don't need to draw any data points above 2.
One person had 3 wins, so draw one data point above 3.

​Creating fraction line plots

You can make a line plot to show a data set with fractions, too.
Let's try it! Make a line plot using the data in the tally chart below.
There are bottles on the counter in the science lab. Edward writes down the cups of liquid in each bottle.

​First, make a number line. The amount of liquid ranges from 0 cups to 1 cup. The fractions in the data set count by fourths. So, draw a number line from 0 to 1 that counts by fourths.

​Now, draw dots or Xs to represent the data.
There were two bottles with 0 cups of liquid. Draw two points above 0.
There were five bottles with 1/4 of a cup. Draw five points above 1/4 .
There was one bottle with 3/4 of a cup. Draw one point above 3/4 .
There were three bottles with 1 cup. Draw three points above 1.