4th grade · Math · Unit 14 of 15
Line Plots & Data
Read data in fractions
What your child practices
Reading tables of measurements in halves, fourths and eighths of an inch, finding differences, comparing two classes, and choosing questions that need data.
Alabama Course of Study content standard: 4.20 · reading line plots and graphs to solve problems
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- A line plot or table shows how many things have each measurement.
- To compare lengths, subtract fractions with the same denominator.
- To compare groups, look at the same row in each group.
Example: The longest ribbon is 7/8 in and the shortest is 3/8 in. What is the difference? 7/8 − 3/8 = 4/8. 4/8 = 1/2. Answer: 1/2 inch
Line Plots & Data in Alabama
In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 14 of 15 in 4th grade Math, after Feet, Pounds & Gallons and before Times as Many.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
How many were measured in all?
Plant growth (inches) Length (in) How many 1/4 6 1/2 4 3/4 2 - 9
- 13
- 12
- 11
12
Hint: Add the counts: 6 + 4 + 2.
Question 2
How many more students in Room 7 than in Room 4 chose basketball?
Favorite recess game Game Room 4 Room 7 tag 4 12 jump rope 3 6 basketball 4 9 - 13
- 5
- 6
- 8
5
Hint: Room 7: 9. Room 4: 4. Subtract.
Question 3
How many are 1/2 inch long?
Ribbon (inches) Length (in) How many 1/4 2 3/8 6 1/2 1 - 4
- 2
- 1
- 0
1
Hint: Find the row for that length.
Question 4
What is the difference between the longest and the shortest length?
Snail trail (inches) Length (in) How many 1/4 4 1/2 5 3/4 6 - 5/8 in
- 1/2 in
- 1 in
- 1/4 in
1/2 in
Hint: Subtract: 3/4 − 1/4.
Question 5
Which question needs data with many different answers?
- What day is it today?
- How tall am I?
- How many legs does a spider have?
- How many letters are in our first names?
How many letters are in our first names?
Hint: A data question has answers that vary, so you collect many of them.
Question 6
All the pieces that are 1/4 inch long are laid end to end. How long is that?
Ribbon (inches) Length (in) How many 1/4 5 3/8 6 1/2 3 - 1 in
- 21/4 in
- 3/2 in
- 5/4 in
5/4 in
Hint: 5 pieces × 1/4 inch = 5/4 inch.