New
New
Year 8

Discontinuous variation: data handling and analysis

I can plot data on discontinuous variation on a bar chart and suggest possible causes for the variation.

New
New
Year 8

Discontinuous variation: data handling and analysis

I can plot data on discontinuous variation on a bar chart and suggest possible causes for the variation.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Using a bar chart to display discontinuous data.
  2. Plotting data for discontinuous variation on a bar chart.
  3. Interpreting and describing a bar chart displaying data for discontinuous variation.
  4. Discontinuous variation usually has only a genetic cause and is not affected by environment or lifestyle.

Common misconception

Using a line graph or histogram to plot discontinuous data. All features show variation due to environmental and lifestyle factors.

The lesson explores why a bar chart is the correct choice for plotting discontinuous data, and the idea that discontinuous variation usually has only a genetic cause.

Keywords

  • Discontinuous variation - Variation which is categorical (divided into particular categories).

  • Bar chart - A graph displaying categorical data plotted as columns of equal width that do not touch. The height of each column represents the tally or frequency for the category (how many times it was observed).

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

Students should plot a bar chart 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.
In the image, which earlobes are attached?
An image in a quiz
top left
Correct answer: top right
Correct answer: bottom left
bottom right
Q2.
Which tally is correct for six items?
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q3.
Which type of graph is this?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: line graph
bar chart
histogram
pie chart
Q4.
On which axis of a graph should you plot the independent variable?
Correct answer: x-axis
y-axis
no axis
Q5.
On which axis of a graph should you plot the dependent variable?
x-axis
Correct answer: y-axis
no axis
Q6.
Why is it often valuable to plot data as a graph?
Because it looks smart and presentable.
It’s a different way of showing the data.
Correct answer: It tends to show trends and patterns more clearly.
A table tends to show trends and patterns clearly.

6 Questions

Q1.
Blood type and earlobe attachment are examples of variation.
Correct Answer: discontinuous, heritable
Q2.
Which type of graph is this?
An image in a quiz
line graph
histogram
Correct answer: bar chart
pie chart
Q3.
How should a bar chart be plotted?
Correct answer: the bars should not touch each other
the bars should touch each other
bars of different widths
Correct answer: bars of equal widths
Q4.
Which of these factors causes discontinuous variation between organisms?
Correct answer: genetics
environment
lifestyle
Q5.
Which statements about the bar chart are true?
An image in a quiz
it shows continuous data
Correct answer: it shows discontinuous data
Correct answer: it shows categoric data
Correct answer: it shows measurements of discontinuous variation
categories are shown on the y-axis
Q6.
Eye colour is genetic, but there many variations of colours. How many genes must control this feature?
none
one
Correct answer: several

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