Box Plots on the TI-83 Calculator
Box Plots on the TI-83 Calculator
Course(s)/Subject(s): Middle School Mathematics 8 and Algebra
I
Grade Level(s): 8 and 9
Key Words: hyperlink, browser software, search engine, html,
box plot, statistics, upper extreme, lower extreme, median, upper
quartile (Q3), lower quartile (Q1), outliers, interquartile range,
mean, and mode, Internet, TI-83.
Developer(s) Name: Linda Cable
School: Washington Irving Middle School
Attached Files: Information
and Data Sheet.
Plots and Analysis
Approximate Time Frame: 2 45-minute class periods.
Materials/Equipment Needed: Computers with Internet access,
TI-82 or TI-83 graphing calculators
Description of Lesson (includes context): The students
will research box plots on the Internet. The students will then
gather real life statistics. The students will analyze the collected
statistics by making multiple box plots on the TI-83 calculator and
comparing the one variable statistics.
1. What is the objective of this lesson? The students will
make comparisons, predictions, and inferences based on their analysis
of the sets of real life data that they have collected in their
Internet search.
VA FCPS POS Standards: Algebra-Data Analysis
Middle School Mathematics 8- Statistics and Probability
VA FCPS POS Benchmarks: Algebra-Students gather,
organize and analyze data algebraically, numerically, and graphically
using models and simulations of real world phenomena.
Middle School Mathematics 8- Students interpret graphs
including bar, circle, double stem and leaf plots, scatterplots and
stacked box and whisker plots.
-Students create statistical graphs using numeric and nonnumeric
data.
VA FCPS POS Indicators: Algebra- Students will compare
multiple one variable data sets using statistical techniques that
include measures of central tendency, range, stem and leaf plots, and
box and whisker plots.
Middle School Mathematics 8- Students will interpret
information from a stacked box and whisker plot.
-Students will make appropriate graphs from numeric and nonnumeric
data.
-Students will compute measures of central tendency.
-Students will interpret information from data analysis.
VA SOL(s) (including Computer/Technology):
Computer Technology C/T8.4 The students will process,
store, retrieve and transmit electronic information. The students
will use search strategies to retrieve electronic information.
Algebra- A.18 The students will compare multiple one variable
data sets, using statistical techniques that include measures of
central tendency, range, stem and leaf plots and box and whisker
plots.
Middle School Mathematics 8- 6.18 The students, given a
problem situation, will collect, analyze, display and interpret data
in a variety of graphical methods, including stem and leaf and box
and whisker plots.
-6.19 The students will describe the mean, median, and mode as
measures of central tendency and determine their meaning for a set of
data.
-7.19 The students will create and solve problems involving the mean,
median, mode and range of a set of data.
-7.20 The students will display data, using frequency distributions,
line plots, stem and leaf plots, box and whisker plots and
scattergrams.
2. What will we examine as evidence of students knowledge and/or
skill?
Product(s): The students will document the answers to the
questions asked on the Internet research worksheet and the
statistical data that they collect from the Internet. The answers
will include the URLs where the information and data were found. The
answers will include an explanation of the path taken to find the web
page(s) with the information. The students will use technology
vocabulary in their answers. The students will use the TI-83 graphing
calculator to construct multiple box and whisker plots. They will
sketch the box and whisker plots on their paper. The students will
construct a back to back stem and leaf plot from the data that they
have collected. The students will write a paragraph that compares and
analyzes the information from the box-plots and stem and leaf plots.
Performance(s): The students will do an Internet search for
information about box and whisker plots and stem and leaf plots. The
students will use the TI-83 graphing calculator to make box plots
from at least two different lists of data. The students will use the
TI-83 to compute one variable statistics. The students will sort the
data in the lists to determine the mode and to more easily use that
information to make a back to back stem and leaf plot.
Prerequisites: The students should have some prior knowledge
of the vocabulary used for Internet research. The students should
have experience with the TI-83 graphing calculator, and at least one
previous lesson on the use of the TI-83 to make statistical graphs.
SEE DIRECTIONS TO THE TEACHER BELOW.
3. What exactly will the students and teacher do during the
lesson?
Directions to students for proceeding with the lesson:
- Enter the two sets of data into L1 and L2 respectively on your
TI-83 calculator. Use this information to make two
boxplots. Use the TI-83 to sort the information and to compute the
1 variable statistics.
- On the Plots and Analysis sheet, transfer your box and whisker
plots from the TI-83 to the paper (with a scale). After sorting
the lists in the TI-83 use them to make the back to back stem and
leaf plot on your paper. Using your box plots, stem and leaf plot
and measures of central tendency, summarize your data by analyzing
the statistics and making comparisons between the two sets of
data.
Directions to teacher/administrator using the lesson.
- Discuss Internet vocabulary with your students before this
lesson. Prior to the first day of this activity, I gave my
students the sample questions for the SOL technology tests that
can be found in the MS Technology folder on First Class. We used
these questions as a springboard for discussions about the
Internet terminology used as well as the other topics covered. I
emphasized the use of the words hyperlink/link, browser (I asked
them what browser we were using), search engine ( I asked them to
name some search engines that were not on their screen right now),
and html. Many students knew what we were talking about and they
helped others who may not have the same access to computers at
home and therefore do not have the same comfort level with
computers.
- Go over the information and data sheet with the students to be
sure that all students understand the expectations. The students
only have one forty-five minute class period in the computer lab
for this lesson so it is important that they complete the tasks
within that time.
- On day 2, review the process of making a box plot on the TI-83
with your students. The students did not begin this activity
without prior knowledge of the TI-83. The students will transfer
the graphs that they make on the graphing calculator to paper,
they will use the graphing calculator to generate one variable
statistics and to organize the data in each list so that they can
make a stem and leaf plot.
- Finally, the students will analyze the plots and the
statistics that they have generated and make inferences,
comparisons and summarize the data.
- The analysis may have to be completed as a homework
assignment.
See the attached worksheets:
The Information and Data sheet
The Plots and Analysis sheet
4. What options in presentation(s) and/or response(s) are
suggested in order to provide the opportunity for all students to
demonstrate achievement of the benchmark(s) and indicator(s)?
The teacher could provide the students with Internet sites for
finding the data and the information necessary to answer the
questions.
The teacher could do a demonstration of Internet research before
taking the students to the computer lab by using a TV hooked up to a
computer.
The teacher could provide the students with the Internet addresses
(URLs) for several choices of statistics such as Sports Illustrated,
or USAToday.
http://www.sportsline.com/index.html
http://www.stat.duke.edu/~box/sis/sports.html
http://search.cnnsi.com/
The teacher could ask everyone to find the same data on the Internet.
Hard copies of the data could be made available to students who do
not find everything within the allotted time.
The teacher could lead the students through the process of graphing
the box plots on the TI-83, and sorting the lists, and computing the
1 variable statistics.