NAME: _________Susan Jamaleddin_____________________ DATE:

________________
LAB – THE HAND SPAN (SCIENTIFIC METHOD)

MEASURING, GRAPHING, & PREDICTING

QUESTION: Can you predict someone’s height from their hand span?

HYPOTHESIS:___________________________________________________

PROCEDURE:

1. Measure and record your hand span using the method explained in class.
___19___________cm
2. Measure and record your height using the method explained in class. _________________cm
3. Record your data on the class data table and copy this data table onto the back of this sheet.
4. Graph your data in this manner:
a. Give the graph a title.
b. Choose the scale for your graph such that the graph will fit the paper. Decide on reasonable
divisions by looking at the smallest and largest numbers.
c. Label each axis with the quantity and units. Dependent variable (height) on the Y
axis(vertical axis) and the independent variable (hand span) on the X axis (horizontal axis).
d. Plot each point. Do not connect the dots!
5. In a linear relationship, as one value changes, the other changes proportionally. Does your
graph appear to be a linear (straight line) relationship? _____________________________
6. Determine the best fit line by moving your ruler until you have equal numbers of points above
and below your ruler. Then draw the line formed by the ruler. It may or may not pass through
some of your data points.
7. Use your best fit line from your graph to predict my height from my hand span.
Teacher hand span: _____________________cm
Your predicted height: __________________cm
8. When you are finished, ask me my height. Actual height: _______________cm
9. Calculate your % error using the formula below. SHOW YOUR WORK! (Your % error may be
positive or negative.)
% Error: (Actual height – Predicted height) / (Actual Height) x 100

CONCLUSION:

1
NAME: _________Susan Jamaleddin_____________________ DATE:
________________
Do you feel that your percent error is small enough to say that you can predict height from hand span?
Why or why not? ___________________________________________________________________.
DATA: Class Data

Hand Span (cm) Height (cm) Hand Span (cm) Height (cm)

1 15

2 16

3 17

4 18

5 19

6 20

7 21

8 22

9 23

10 24

11 25

12 26

13 27

14 28

GRAPH: Hand Span vs. Height