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6th grade · Math · Unit 12 of 21

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.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: NY-6.SP.4; NY-6.SP.5 · showing numerical data in dot plots and histograms, and summarizing it with the range and measures of center

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Discrete data is counted (pets). Continuous data is measured (height).
  2. A broken-line graph shows how something changes over time.
  3. 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 New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 12 of 21 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: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A line graph's vertical axis starts at 90 instead of 0. Why can that be misleading?

    • Small changes look very large.
    • The lines become curved.
    • Large changes look small.

  2. Question 2

    What is the range of this data?

    14, 2, 7, 50, 16

    • 47
    • 44
    • 48

  3. Question 3

    Which data set has the greater range?

    Set ASet B
    24
    2524
    1129
    2225
    923
    • Set B
    • Set A

  4. Question 4

    Between which two times did the temperature rise the most?

    Temperature (°C) through the day
    Time°C
    8 a.m.11
    10 a.m.8
    12 p.m.9
    2 p.m.6
    • 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
    • 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
    • 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

  5. Question 5

    Is this data discrete or continuous? the temperature outside

    • continuous
    • discrete

  6. Question 6

    Is this data discrete or continuous? the number of students in a class

    • continuous
    • discrete

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