New
New
Year 6

Construct line graphs representing two variables in familiar contexts

I can construct line graphs representing two variables.

New
New
Year 6

Construct line graphs representing two variables in familiar contexts

I can construct line graphs representing two variables.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A line graph is a way of representing the relationship between two variables.
  2. One variable is represented by the x-axis and the other, by the y-axis.
  3. Points are plotted like coordinates with a value on the x-axis and a value on the y-axis.

Keywords

  • Line graph - A line graph is a graph where the points are connected by lines. It shows how something changes in value, usually over time.

  • Variable - A variable is something that changes and can also be measured.

  • X-axis - The x-axis is the horizontal line on a graph which goes through zero.

  • Y-axis - The y-axis is the vertical line on a graph which goes through zero.

Common misconception

Pupils may not understand that line graphs are only used for continuous data, where the points between those that are plotted have meaning.

Show children examples of graphs where there is no meaning between divisions on the x-axis (e.g. heights of children). Here, the points cannot be joined to make a line graph.

Discuss when it is appropriate to use an estimate to answer a question given answers should be as accurate as possible. It will be useful to use knowledge of 'halfway' points on scales to help with this. Revisiting estimation of points on a number line will also support access to this lesson.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false: Andeep spends more time travelling than resting according to the data in the graph.
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True
Correct answer: False
Q2.
Jacob is counting backwards in steps of 5, from 10: 10, 5, 0, ___ What will he say next?
He will stop counting
0
$${1} \over {5}$$
5
Correct answer: − 5
Q3.
Jun measured the sunflower and it was 30 cm tall. When did he measure it?
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April
May
Correct answer: June
July
Q4.
During which month did the sunflower not grow at all?
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Correct Answer: October, Oct
Q5.
How much did the sunflower grow during June? cm
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Correct Answer: 15
Q6.
During which month did the sunflower grow most quickly?
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Correct Answer: July, Jul

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following would not be recorded on a line graph?
Correct answer: The number of children visiting a library each month over the course of a year.
The mass in grams of a guinea pig measured over the course of three months.
The distance a jogger travels over the course of two hours.
Q2.
The line graph shows how the temperature changes between the hours of 8 am and 7 pm. What was the hottest time of the day?
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Correct Answer: 2 pm, 2
Q3.
This line graph shows how Izzy’s height has changed as she has grown. Use the line graph to estimate her height when she was 6 years old. cm
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Correct Answer: 115, 114, 116
Q4.
This line graph shows the distance of each child from school. At 8:40 am, which child was the closest to school?
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Correct answer: Izzy
Jacob
Sofia
Q5.
Use the line graph to find out how much closer Jacob was to the school than Sofia at 8:40am. m
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Correct Answer: 200
Q6.
How many metres did Izzy travel altogether on her journey? m
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Correct Answer: 1,100