Lab # Graphing Skills Date
I. Purpose: What is the difference between a graph and a data table?
CA Standard: Investigation & Experimentation (1a) Students will select and use appropriate tools and technology to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and display data.
Background: A graph is a pictorial representation (a picture) of information recorded in a data table. A data table simply lists information. Two common types of graphs are the line graph and bar graph. A line graph is used to show a relationship between two variables. The most consistent variable is placed on the X-axis. A bar graph is used only to show comparisons. The X-axis can have numbers or labels. Sometimes multiple lines are placed on one graph. A multiple line graph is useful to easily show comparisons between multiple sets of information.
II. Materials: graph paper
III. Procedure:
Part A: Line graph
1. Use the information in Table 1 to construct a line graph.
2. Place this graph in the Calculations/Results part of your write-up.
3. Title your graph, label each axis, plot the data, connect the points.
Part B: Bar graph
1. Use the information in Table 2 to construct a bar graph.
2. Place this graph in the Calculations/Results part of your write-up.
3. Title your graph, label each axis, plot the data, darken the columns of the graph.
IV. Data/Observations:
Table 1: Breathing Rate of the Freshwater Sunfish
X – axis / Y - axisTemperature (oC) / Breathing Rate (per minute)
10 / 15
15 / 25
18 / 30
20 / 38
23 / 60
25 / 57
27 / 25
each line = 1oC
start at 0 / each line = 2 minutes
start at 0
Table 2: Average Rainfall in Willamette Valley
Month / X / Jan / Feb / Mar / April / May / June / July / Aug / Sept / Oct / Nov / DecRainfall (mL) / Y / 15 / 21 / 28 / 24 / 16 / 8 / 2 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 10
Y - axis: Each box = 1 mL, start at 0.
V. Calculations/Results:
Line graph goes here, use a FULL page.
Bar graph goes here, use a FULL page.
VI. Questions (Re-state the questions and answer in a complete sentence.)
Use the Growth of Plants line graph to answer the following questions:
1. Which plant grew tallest?
2. After 10 days, how much had plant 3 grown?
3. How long did it take plant 1 to grow 6 cm?
4. What are the advantages of using multiple lines on a line graph?
Use the Red Blood Cell Count During Human Growth bar graph to answer the following questions:
5. What happens to the number of red blood cells between birth and 2 months?
6. Between what ages is a human likely to have 4.6 million red blood cells?
7. After 14 years of age, what gender (male or female) has a higher red blood cell count?
8. Why do you think the answer to question 7 is true?
VII. Conclusion:
Answer the purpose. Re-state and answer in a complete sentence.