Graphing Categorical and Quantitative Data Lesson

Graphical Representations of Data

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Dot Plots

• Show numerical data

• Work best with small to medium sized data sets

Bar Graphs

• Show categorical data

• Categories listed on horizontal axis

• Frequency shown on vertical axis

Histograms

• Show numerical data

• Work best with large data sets

• Shows data in ranges (also known as "bins")

• "Bins" are shown along horizontal axis

• Frequency shown on vertical axis

Multiple Choice

Suppose the class was polled about their favorite kind of flower.

Which type of graph would you use to show this data?

• Dot Plot

• Bar Graph

• Histogram

Multiple Choice

If our class were to take a poll on how far (in miles) their house is from the school, which type of graph would you use to show that data?

• Dot Plots

• Bar Graphs

• Histograms

Open Ended

How is a histogram different than a bar graph?

Fill in the Blanks

A dot plot shows

data. (numerical or categorical)

Fill in the Blanks

A bar graph shows

data. (numerical or categorical)

Fill in the Blanks

A histogram shows

data. (numerical or categorical)

Multiple Choice

Which would be a better display of the data below: Dot plot, a bar graph, or a histogram? Explain.

red, blue, yellow, red, yellow, orange, blue, pink, green, green, red, blue, red, green, pink

• Dot plot plot because the data is numerical.

• Dot plot because the data is categorical.

• Histogram because there are a lot of different answers.

• Bar graph because the data is categorical.

Multiple Choice

Which would be a better display of the data below: Dot plot, a bar graph, or a histogram? Explain.

34 29 38 68 69 84 39 49 63

89 31 75 78 73 64 54 90 85

31 84

• Bar graph because the data is numerical.

• Bar graph because the data is categorical.

• Histogram because the data is very spread out.

• Dot plot because the numbers are close together.

Multiple Choice

Which would be a better display of the data below: Dot plot, a bar graph, or a histogram? Explain.

42 40 40 35 38 35 38 38 39

40 41 41 36 36 35 39 39 35

37 42

• Bar graph because the data is numerical.

• Dot plot because the numbers are not very spread out.

• Histogram because the data is very spread out.

• Bar graph because the data is. categorical.