Interpreting Trends in Scatterplots for 8th Graders

A scatterplot shows the relationship between hours studied and test scores for 10 students. If the trend shows that more hours studied generally leads to higher test scores, what can you conclude about the data?

• More hours studied generally leads to higher test scores.

• There is no correlation between hours studied and test scores.

• Higher test scores are only achieved by students who study less.

• Studying more hours has no effect on test scores.

In a scatterplot comparing the number of hours spent on social media and grades in school, the points cluster in a downward trend. What does this suggest about the relationship between social media use and academic performance?

• Increased social media use leads to better grades in school.

• There is a negative correlation between social media use and academic performance.

• Social media use has no impact on academic performance.

• There is a positive correlation between social media use and academic performance.

A scatterplot displays the average temperature and ice cream sales over a summer. If the points show a positive correlation, what does this indicate about the relationship between temperature and ice cream sales?

• Ice cream sales are highest during cooler temperatures.

• There is no relationship between temperature and ice cream sales.

• There is a direct relationship where higher temperatures result in increased ice cream sales.

• Higher temperatures lead to decreased ice cream sales.

The scatterplot of a city's population versus the number of parks shows a linear trend. If the population increases, what can you infer about the number of parks in that city?

• The number of parks will remain the same.

• The number of parks is unrelated to the population.

• The number of parks will decrease.

• The number of parks is likely to increase.

In a scatterplot, the data points for the amount of rainfall and the number of umbrellas sold show a strong positive correlation. What does this imply about the relationship between these two variables?

• There is no relationship between rainfall and umbrella sales.

• Rainfall decreases the number of umbrellas sold.

• More umbrellas are sold regardless of rainfall.

• There is a direct relationship where more rainfall leads to more umbrellas being sold.

A scatterplot illustrates the relationship between the age of a car and its resale value. If the trend line slopes downward, what does this indicate about the value of older cars?

• Older cars have lower resale values.

• The age of a car has no impact on its resale value.

• Older cars are more valuable than newer cars.

• Older cars have higher resale values.

The scatterplot shows the relationship between the number of hours a student plays video games and their grades. If the trend is negative, what can you interpret about the impact of gaming on academic performance?

• Gaming has no effect on grades.

• Excessive gaming negatively impacts academic performance.

• More gaming leads to better academic performance.

• Playing video games improves focus on studies.

In a scatterplot comparing the distance traveled by a car and the amount of fuel used, the points form a linear pattern. What does this suggest about the car's fuel efficiency?

• The car has stable fuel efficiency.

• The car has poor fuel efficiency.

• The car uses more fuel as distance increases.

• The car's fuel efficiency varies greatly.

A scatterplot shows the relationship between the number of books read and the scores on a reading comprehension test. If there is a positive trend, what can you conclude about the effect of reading on comprehension skills?

• Reading has no effect on comprehension skills.

• More books read leads to lower comprehension scores.

• Comprehension skills are solely determined by age.

• Reading more books likely improves comprehension skills.

The scatterplot of daily exercise time versus body mass index (BMI) shows a negative correlation. What does this suggest about the relationship between exercise and BMI?

• Higher BMI leads to more exercise.

• Less exercise is linked to lower BMI.

• Increased exercise is associated with lower BMI.

• Exercise has no effect on BMI.