Flashcards on Essential Scientific Skills and Methodology
Essential Scientific Skills & Methodology for Students
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Data presentation: Graphs & interpretation
24 cards
Card 1
Question: What is the main purpose of a line graph?
Answer: To show how one quantitative variable (dependent) changes as a direct result of changes in another variable (independent).
Card 2
Question: When drawing a line graph, how should you connect the data points?
Answer: Connect all data points point-to-point with a ruler (not a line of average or best fit).
Card 3
Question: Should you always extend a line graph through the origin (0,0)?
Answer: No. Only extend through the origin if a (0:0) data point is provided; otherwise do not assume the graph goes through the origin.
Card 4
Question: How do you read a value from a graph?
Answer: Draw a dotted line from the known value on one axis to the graph, then from that point to the other axis; read the value where the line crosses the ax
Card 5
Question: What does extrapolate mean on a graph?
Answer: To extend the graph beyond the last provided data point to the end of the scale boundary to estimate a value.
Card 6
Question: When should you use a bar (column) graph instead of a line graph?
Answer: Use a bar graph when the independent variable is qualitative (non-numerical), e.g., food types, countries, or categories.
Card 7
Question: What are two key features of bars/columns on a bar graph?
Answer: Each category is shown by a block/column of equal width, and there are spaces between the columns because the x-axis categories are not continuous.
Card 8
Question: When is a histogram the correct choice for data presentation?
Answer: When the independent variable is quantitative and grouped into ranges (continuous numerical data), e.g., marks grouped by intervals.
Card 9
Question: What are two distinguishing features of a histogram?
Answer: Columns (bins) all have the same width and there are no spaces between the columns because the x-axis is continuous.
Card 10
Question: What mnemonic or tip was given to remember there are no gaps in a histogram?
Answer: "There are no gaps in HISTORY."