Understanding Scatter Plots and Lines: Distinguishing Exact and Inexact Relationships

This lesson teaches how to differentiate between scatter plots and lines by examining exact and inexact relationships. Independent variables, like time, are not influenced by other factors, while dependent variables change based on the independent variable. Exact relationships, such as Celsius to Fahrenheit, are deterministic and represented by lines. Inexact relationships, like height and wingspan, are represented by scatter plots, where a line of best fit can help make predictions. The lesson concludes by reinforcing the ability to distinguish between these types of relationships.

Which of the following is an example of an independent variable?

• Money earned

• Time

• Height

• Temperature in Celsius

What is the relationship between Celsius and Fahrenheit?

• Unrelated

• Exact

• Random

• Inexact

How are exact relationships typically represented?

• With a scatter plot

• With a pie chart

• With a line

• With a bar graph

What type of graph is used to represent inexact relationships?

• Line graph

• Scatter plot

• Bar chart

• Pie chart

What can a line of best fit help you do in a scatter plot?

• Calculate averages

• Determine exact values

• Predict trends

• Identify independent variables