GRAPHING Notes for Review Graphs are useful tools

GRAPHING Notes for Review

• Graphs are useful tools for presenting data and other information in a small space. • Graphs should contain a title, labels on BOTH axes, units of measure, scale, and a key (if needed). • USE a RULER!!!

Types of graphs

Circle graph / Pie chart • Shows how a part of something relates to the whole • Think of a pie cut into pieces – each piece shows a percentage

Bar Graph • Used to compare things • X-axis = horizontal axis • Y-axis = vertical axis • A key can be used to identify the things being compared • Generally used when data collected is QUALITATIVE (descriptive) and QUANTITATIVE (numerical) Example: Height of 3 species of palm trees (Height = cm, Types= species names)

Line Graph • Built from pairs of numbers • Used to show changes that occur in related variables; shows relationships between sets of numerical data (ex: growth chart) • Independent variable is usually on X-axis • Dependent variable is usually on the Y-axis

PROPER GRAPHS: Must have these parts labeled!

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES More details!!!

Accuracy and Precision • Accuracy is a description of how close a measurement is to the correct or accepted value of the quantity measured. • Precision is the degree of exactness of multiple measurements. • A numeric measure of confidence in a measurement or result is known as uncertainty. A lower uncertainty indicates greater confidence.

Significant Figures • It is important to record the precision of your measurements so that other people can understand interpret your results. • A common convention used in science to indicate precision is known as significant figures. • Significant figures are those digits in a measurement that are known with certainty plus the first digit that is uncertain.

Significant Figures

Significant Figures

Rounding