Assignment: 4 Box Plots and 1 Question
This is the complex graphing of 5 numbers that probably doesn't quite fully make sense to you yet. Shall I repeat, that's OKAY!!! The point is that you are going to create these graphs using the 5 number summaries you have and then figure out what you "get" and what is still dodgy in your brain.
1) Page Set-Up
*Turn your page "portrait" style and title it, "Coin Box Plots." (or some such thing) Mark your scale as "1 box = 1 year"
*On the left hand side of your page should be your horizontal axis labeled with the coin years. Make sure your coins are listed from 1945 (bottom) through 2014 (top).
*Make sure your years are listed on the LINES of the graph paper.
*I like to list my coins in increments of 5 years and I often draw a bold line marking those increments so I can see it as I work across my page.
*You will draw four box plots total, one in each color, so leave room (imagine your paper divided into quartiles ... ha!)
2) Making Your Box Plots
Your box plots will stretch on your page from the top (2014) to the oldest coin data point at the bottom.
*You will need the 5-number summary you created for yourself, your partner's 5 number summary, and the two class 5-number summaries. (Click HERE for the class 5-number summaries).
*Make one box plot at a time; you began with your own in class today.
-----First mark the 5 data points on your page. Connect the whiskers (one at each end) and draw the box (with the median going through your middle point) using those 5 points as your markers. I like to make my box plots 4 - 6 boxes in width, but that's up to whatever looks good to you.----
*If you would like to see again what a box plot looks like, click HERE. That's the general picture; all box plots look about the same (shape), but come in different sizes depending upon the data you are using. This is one of the things you should try to figure out, by the way ... if it's in quarters, why aren't they all the same size? Hmmm...
*For more detailed directions on how to do this, click HERE.
That's really it for that. Box plots are quick and simple to draw once you get the hang of them.
Now ....
3) Your Question
At this point, you may have no idea what you created on your page or your light bulbs might be glowing, but in any case hopefully you noticed some things while you did the work. What I want you to do now is tell me what you THINK you did. Pose this in the form of a question that you want to ask: "Am I right that.... " or "It looks like ..." are great ways to begin your question. If you think you can interpret the data, go for it! I promise you that box plots will not only become very useful to you, you will eventually find them easy to read and interpret ... but they have their limits and you need to understand them.
So, let me know what you're thinking. "I don't know," or "I don't understand," aren't acceptable questions. What do you THINK you see?!?!? You are seeing something whether or not you understand it, so take your best shot. We will discuss these tomorrow in depth and I bet you will figure out more than you think you know.
*I will assess your question based upon the effort I see that you put into it: truly try and you'll be fine. Give up easily or toss it aside and you won't be stretching your brain enough to grow. Go for it!
Due Thursday
No comments:
Post a Comment