Identifying and Analyzing Outliers in Dot Plots

Activity Description

This worksheet is designed to deepen students' understanding of outliers and their effects on statistical measures, particularly the mean. Students will work with four scatter plots, where they will:

• Identify Outliers: Spot any outlier points that stand out from the rest of the data.
• Calculate the Mean: Compute the mean of the data set, both excluding and including the outlier, to see how the outlier influences the overall mean.
• Analyze the Impact: Observe and analyze how the outlier skews the mean, leading to potential changes in data interpretation.

This activity enhances data literacy, helping students assess and interpret data sets more critically.

Key Features:

• Auto-Graded: This interactive digital worksheet is auto-graded, eliminating the need for teachers to evaluate it manually, making it an excellent practice activity.
• Unique Questions: Each student will receive a unique set of 4 dot plots to promote individual practice and understanding.
• Re-Assignable: Re-assigning the worksheet to the same classroom will generate a new set of questions for each student.

Learning Objective

The learning objective of this worksheet activity is to help students understand the concept of outliers and their impact on statistical measures, specifically the mean. Through this activity, students will develop skills in identifying outliers in scatter plots, accurately calculating the mean of data sets with and without outliers, and analyzing how the presence of an outlier can affect the overall average.

This exercise reinforces critical thinking and data analysis skills, enabling students to interpret and make informed decisions based on data variability.

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