New
New
Year 8

Continuous variation: data handling and analysis

I can plot data on continuous variation on a histogram and suggest possible causes for the variation.

New
New
Year 8

Continuous variation: data handling and analysis

I can plot data on continuous variation on a histogram and suggest possible causes for the variation.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Using a histogram or line graph to display continuous data.
  2. Plotting data for continuous variation on a histogram.
  3. Interpreting and describing a histogram displaying data for continuous variation.
  4. Continuous variation is usually influenced by many factors, including genetics, the environment and lifestyle.

Common misconception

Using a bar chart to plot continuous data. Features with continuous variation are only due to genetic factors.

The lesson explores why a histogram or line graph is the correct choice for plotting discontinuous data, and the idea that continuous variation is usually influenced by many factors, including genetics, the environment and lifestyle.

Keywords

  • Continuous variation - Variation which can take any one of many values over a continuous range.

  • Line graph - A graph displaying continuous data plotted as points joined with a line.

  • Histogram - A graph displaying continuous data grouped into ranges and plotted as columns that touch.

  • Environment - Factors in an organism’s surroundings that influence its features.

  • Genetic - Related to the genetic material (DNA) and genes that an individual has.

Students should plot a histogram of their own data that they collected in the previous lesson if possible. Alternatively, sample data is provided for plotting.
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).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which two pieces of equipment should you use when drawing a graph?
pen
Correct answer: pencil
Correct answer: ruler
plain paper
Q2.
How many students in this class can only roll their tongue into a straw shape?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 14, fourteen
Q3.
How many students in this class cannot roll their tongue?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 7, seven
Q4.
The peas produced by pea plants can either be smooth or wrinkled. This is an example of variation.
Correct Answer: discontinuous
Q5.
Data for discontinuous variation should always be plotted on a ...
Correct answer: bar chart.
histogram.
line graph.
photograph.
Q6.
Which two of the statements below are conclusions that could be drawn from the data in the bar chart?
An image in a quiz
The total number of individuals was 14.
Correct answer: The category with the fewest individuals in it was “cannot roll tongue".
Correct answer: The most common variation was the ability to roll tongue into a straw shape.
Tongue rolling is an example of continuous variation.

6 Questions

Q1.
How many students have a height that is in the range of 160 to 169 cm?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 3, three
Q2.
Which type of graph has this data been displayed in?
An image in a quiz
bar chart
Correct answer: histogram
line graph
pie chart
Q3.
Height is an example of variation.
Correct Answer: continuous
Q4.
Match each type of graph to its correct feature.
Correct Answer:A bar chart is drawn with ...,columns that do not touch, representing separate categories.

columns that do not touch, representing separate categories.

Correct Answer:A histogram is drawn with ...,columns that touch, representing a continuous numerical range.

columns that touch, representing a continuous numerical range.

Correct Answer:Both bar charts and histograms have ...,frequency values plotted on the y-axis.

frequency values plotted on the y-axis.

Q5.
Which of the following conclusions could be drawn from the histgram shown?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Three students had a height in the range 120 to 139 cm.
There were no students taller than 180 cm.
There were no students taller than 110 cm.
Correct answer: The range with the most individuals in it was 150 – 159 cm.
Q6.
Data for the height of oak trees shows continuous variation. Which type of factors are likely to influence the height of an oak tree?
only genetic factors
Correct answer: both environmental and genetic factors
only environmental factors
neither genetic factors nor environmental factors

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