Read the article One Weird Mammal. Be on the lookout for clues to help you answer each question.
Once you click on the article:
The article can also be found in our Google Classroom.
Part A:
Scientists tagged 7 platypuses and recorded their weights. Then they used trackers to study how far the platypuses traveled. Receivers placed along a river detected the trackers, which they used to estimate how far each one moved. Below is their data.
3 points
3
Question 1
1.
Calculate the mean, median, and mode. Then match each answer.
Draggable item
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Corresponding Item
mean
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1.6
median
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1.7
mode
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1.8
3 points
3
Question 2
2.
Use the data, Number of times Trackers Detected in 6 Months, for questions 2 - 4
Calculate the mean.
1 point
1
Question 3
3.
What is the median of the data for Number of times Trackers Detected in 6 Months?
1 point
1
Question 4
4.
The mode of the data for Number of times Trackers Detected in 6 Months is
3 points
3
Question 5
5.
Calculate the mean, median, and mode of the data for Average Daily Distance Traveled.
1 point
1
Question 6
6.
Which data set has multiple outliers (values much lower or higher than the mean)?
1 point
1
Question 7
7.
Identify the two outliers from the data set.
Talking Mean & Median
Mean and median are measures of center used to compare and draw inferences about different data sets. However, each measure can give a very different picture of the data being compared.
Is it better to use the mean or median when comparing data sets?
Using the mean is a better option when the data sets have fairly consistent values, with few "gaps" in the data. A gap is formed where a big separation exists between the majority and an outlier.
Using the median is a better option when the data sets have outliers or extreme values that can drastically affect the mean.
Part B: Use the final data set to answer the remaining questions.
3 points
3
Question 8
8.
Create a dot plot to show the Number of Platypuses by River Basin.
HINTS:
Each river basin is one data point.
Your dot plot should start at 0 and go to 70, with intervals of 10.
1 point
1
Question 9
9.
What is the mean of the data set? Round your answer to the nearest whole number.
1 point
1
Question 10
10.
What is the median of the data set?
1 point
1
Question 11
11.
What is the mode of the data set?
2 points
2
Question 12
12.
Does the data set have any outliers? Explain.
1 point
1
Question 13
13.
Which measure of center best describes the data set? Explain.
Comparing Two Data Sets
Billy's Burgers and Tony's Tacos are both open 14 hours a day. The dot plots below show how many items each restaurant sold each hour during one day. Which measure of center should be used to make the better comparison between the two data sets?
Notice the data set for Billy's Burgers has an outlier at 20 items sold per hour. This outlier will skew the mean for Billy's Burgers.
The data for Tony's Tacos is fairly consistent.
Because Billy's Burgers has an outlier, the median would be the best measure of center for comparing these data sets.
Part C: For each pair of data sets below, determine whether mean or median would be the more accurate measure of center when comparing them. Explain your answers for each data set.
2 points
2
Question 14
14.
Two schools recorded their daily absences for a two-week period of time. Based on the dot plots, should mean or median be used to compare the data? Explain your answer.
2 points
2
Question 15
15.
Four schools recorded their average writing scores on two portions of the state writing exam. Based on the tables, should mean or median be used to compare the data? Explain your answer.
