Graphing and Analyzing Scientific Data
Graphing is an important procedure used by scientist to display the data that is collected during a
controlled experiment. There are three main types of graphs:
Pie/circle graphs: Used to show parts of a whole.
Bar graphs: Used to compare amounts.
Line graphs: Used to show the change of one piece of information as it relates to another
Both bar and line graphs have an “X” axis (horizontal) and a “Y” axis (vertical).
Parts of a Graph:
Title: Summarizes information being represented in ANY graph.
Independent Variable: The variable that is controlled by the experimenter, such as, time, dates,
depth, and temperature. This is placed on the X axis.
Dependent Variable: The variable that is directly affected by the independent variable. It is the
result of what happens as time, dates, depth and temperature are changed.
This is placed on the Y axis.
Scales for each Variable:
In constructing a graph, one needs to know where to plot the points representing the data. In order to
do this a scale must be employed to include all the data points. This must also take up a conservative
amount of space. It is not suggested to have a run on scale making the graph too hard to manage.
The scales should start with 0 and climb in intervals such as multiples of 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, etc…the
scale of numbers will be determined by your data values.
Legend: A short descriptive narrative concerning the graph’s data. It should be short and concise
and placed under the graph.
Extrapolate: extending the graph, along the same slope, above or below measured data.
Interpolate: predicting data between two measured points on the graph
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Graphing Practice Worksheet
1. Graph the following information in a BAR graph. Label and number the x and y-axis appropriately.
Month # of deer
Sept 38
Oct 32
Nov 26
Dec 20
Jan 15
Feb 12
a. What is the independent variable?
b. What is the dependent variable?
c. What is an appropriate title?
d. What is the average number of deer per month?
2. Graph the following information in a LINE graph. Label and number the x and y-axis appropriately.
# of Days # of Bacteria
1 4
2 16
3 40
4 80
5 100
6 200
What is the independent variable?
a. What is the dependent variable?
b. What is an appropriate title?
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Analyzing Data, Graphing and Drawing Conclusions
Tables and Trends
3. What TREND does this data show?
Weight Bench Number of
Every time the weight of the bench press Pressed (kg) Reps
_____________________ the number of reps 100 32
______________________. 115 24
130 16
Can we make this trend more specific?
145 8
Every time the weight of the bench press
_____________________ by ______________, the number of reps
_____________________by________________.
4. What TREND does this data show?
Can we be more specific? Why or why not?
5. What TREND does this data show? Mass of Object Time it takes
(kg) to fall in a
vacuum
(seconds)
2 4.9
42 4.9
82 4.9
122 4.9
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What Time Of Day Are You Most Alert?
Assumption: The ability to sort playing cars in an Time of Day Ave. Sorting Time (s)
indication of alertness.
Procedure:
8:00 am 130
12:00 noon 105
1. Shuffle a deck of playing cards four times
4:00 pm 122
2. Time how long it takes to sort the cards into 8:00 pm 127
the four suits
3. Repeat the activity at the same time for five
days
6. What CONCLUSION can you make based on the information above?
Making Predictions from Data
7. Find out how much the table changes each time. What is the trend?
Amount of water Tree Growth
(liters) (meters)
2 5
Changes by Changes by
4 10
________
each time 6 15 _________
8 20 each time
8. What is the trend? Temperature Amount of
(°C) Dissolved Oxygen
(mg/L)
9.How much dissolved oxygen would there be if the temperature 10 1000
was 45°C? 15 950
20 900
25 850
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10. Complete the table after finding out how much the table changes each time.
# of Classes Average Grade
Skipped
0 100
Changes by______ 90 Changes by______
each time 2 each time
3
11. What is the trend?
Making Tables
12. Rashawn wants to test if the weight of a basketball affected how far he could throw it.
a. Identify the independent variable:
b. Identify the dependent variable:
c. What are three things that Rashawn would have to keep constant?
d. What is your hypothesis?
e. In the results, Rashawn would measure __________________________________________and
record it in a data table.
Rashawn finds that he can throw a 10 kg basketball 50 meters, a 20 kg shotput 40
meters, a 30 kg shotput 30 meters, and he can throw a 40 kg shot 20 meters. Make a
data table showing the results.
13. Set up table:
Title (state cause and effect relationship)
Label Categories
Input data
Title
Independent Variable Dependent Variable
a. What is the trend?
b. Draw a conclusion: Did the data support or disprove your hypothesis?
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14. Jennifer was conducting the experiment testing the question: “What is the effect of different colors of
light on plant height?” In her experiment she was going to test red, yellow, green and blue light for six
days. She measured the plants after each day.
a. Identify the independent variable:
b. Identify the dependent variable:
c. What are three things that Jennifer would have to keep constant?
d. What is your hypothesis?
e. In the results, Jennifer would measure _____________________________________________ and
record it in a data table.
15. Set up table:
Title (state cause and effect relationship)
Label Categories
Input data
Title
16. Practice putting your observations into the data table above.
Day 1: Red 2cm, Yellow 2cm, Green 2cm, Blue 2cm
Day 2: Red 2cm, Yellow 2cm, Green 3cm, Blue 3cm
Day 3: Red 3cm, Yellow 2cm, Green 4cm, Blue 3cm
Day 4: Red 3cm, Yellow 2.5cm, Green 4.5cm, Blue 3.5cm
Day 5: Red 3.5cm, Yellow 3cm, Green 5cm, Blue 3.5cm
Day 6: Red 3.5cm, Yellow 3.5cm, Green 5.5cm, Blue 4cm
a. Were there any trends? (Hint you can compare different plants but they have to be on the same day)
b. Draw a conclusion: Did the data support or disprove your hypothesis?
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17.
18. Line graphs are used when the independent variable is _________________________ and the
dependent variable is ______________________________.
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19. A group of students were trying to figure out if the temperature of the water affected the
speed of a crawfish. They set up 8 tanks of water and kept them at different temperatures. They
then placed crawfish in each tank and made them swim and measured their speed. Using the
data at the left, construct an appropriate type of graph that shows the relationship between water
temperature and crawfish speed.
Don’t forget to:
Create a title
Label your axes
Make an appropriate scale
Mark an X at each data point and connect them with a line
Water Crawfish
Temp Speed
(oC) (m/s)
15 1.0
20 1.7
25 2.0
30 2.5
35 2.5
40 1.9
45 1.5
50 1.2
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