MAKING DOT PLOTS

A dot plot is a visual representation of data using intervals or categories of variables; the dots represent an observation in the data.

The data distribution is a listing or function showing all the possible values (or intervals) of the data and how often they occur. 

Steps to Make Dot Plots

Step 1 :

Make a real number line according to the values given in the data. 

Step 2 :

Draw a dot above the number line for each value given in the data.

For example, if there is a value "3" in the given data, make a dot above number "3" on the real number line.

Examples

Example 1 : 

A baseball team manager records the number of runs scored by the team in each game for several weeks. 

1, 3, 1, 7, 2, 0, 11, 2, 2, 3, 1, 3, 4, 2, 2, 4, 5, 2, 6

(i)  Make a dot plot to know how the data is distributed.

Solution : 

Step 1 : 

Make a real number line.

In the given data, we have values range from from 0 to 11. 

So we have to use a scale from 0 to 11.

Step 2 : 

Draw a dot above the number line for each data value.

(ii)  How many games did the team play during the season? How can you tell from looking at the dot plot?

Solution :

There are 19 dots in total above the numbers where each dot represents a game. So, So the team played 19 games during the season.

(iii)  At how many games did the team score 2 runs or fewer? How do you know?

Solution :

In 10 games the team scored 2 runs or fewer; I counted the number of dots for the values less than or equal to 2.

Example 2 : 

A different baseball team scores the following numbers of runs in its games for several weeks:

4, 4, 6, 1, 2, 4, 1, 2, 5, 3, 3, 5, 4, 2

(i)  Make a dot plot to know how the data is distributed.

Solution : 

Step 1 : 

Make a real number line.

In the given data, we have values range from from 0 to 6. 

So we have to use a scale from 0 to 6.

Step 2 : 

Draw a dot above the number line for each data value.

(ii)  Tell how many games the team played, and identify the data value with the greatest frequency.

Solution :

There are 14 dots in total above the numbers where each dot represents a game. So the team played 14 games.

And the value with the greatest frequency is 4. So there were 4 games in which the team scored 4 runs.

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