6th grade · Math · Unit 11 of 17
Data & Graphs
Histograms, range and line graphs
What your child practices
Telling discrete data (counted) from continuous data (measured), reading histograms and line graphs, finding the range, and spotting misleading graphs.
Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 6.SP.B.4; 6.SP.B.5 · displaying numerical data and describing its center and spread
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Discrete data is counted (pets). Continuous data is measured (height).
- A broken-line graph shows how something changes over time.
- The range is the greatest value minus the least value.
Example: Test scores: 6, 9, 7, 10. What is the range? Greatest: 10. Least: 6. 10 − 6 = 4. Answer: 4
Data & Graphs in Arizona
In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 11 of 17 in 6th grade Math, after Algebra Moves and before Powers and Common Factors.
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.
Source: Arizona Department of Education
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
What is the range of this data?
20, 23, 40, 3, 6
- 31
- 35
- 37
37
Hint: Range = greatest value − least value.
Question 2
Between which two times did the temperature rise the most?
Temperature (°C) through the day Time °C 8 a.m. 7 10 a.m. 6 12 p.m. 8 2 p.m. 7 - 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
- 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Hint: On a broken-line graph, the steepest climb shows the biggest rise.
Question 3
Is this data discrete or continuous? cars sold in a week
- discrete
- continuous
discrete
Hint: Discrete data is counted and has gaps. Continuous data is measured and can be any value in a range.
Question 4
How many students were counted in all?
Minutes spent reading (histogram) Minutes Students 0–9 12 10–19 9 20–29 7 30–39 3 - 26
- 31
- 25
31
Hint: Add the counts for every interval.
Question 5
A graph's scale jumps from 10 to 50 to 60 with equal spacing. Why is that misleading?
- Equal spaces stand for different amounts.
- The numbers are too small.
- There are too many colors.
Equal spaces stand for different amounts.
Hint: Check the scale, the widths and the labels before you trust a graph.
Question 6
Which data set has the greater range?
Set A Set B 7 5 14 25 17 9 3 24 12 30 - Set B
- Set A
Set B
Hint: Find the range of each set. The greater range is more spread out.