Drawing Graphs and Conclusions

1. A group of students are investigating whether there is a

relationship between the distance from a pond and the
number of reeds growing.

They collected the following results:

Distance from Number of reeds

pond (m)
Transect 1 Transect 2 Transect 3 Mean
2 6 8 5
4 4 3 5
6 2 4 3
8 1 2 1
10 0 1 1
12 0 0 0

a. Describe how these results would have been collected.

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b. Complete the table by calculating the mean values.

c. Calculate the range at 2 m from the pond.

d. Draw a graph of these results.

e. Describe the conclusion that can be drawn from these results.

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f. Suggest reasons for the pattern shown.

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 2. A group of students are investigating whether there is a
relationship between the distance from the base of an
oak tree and the number of bluebells growing.

They collected the following results:

Distance from Number of bluebells

oak tree (m)
Transect 1 Transect 2 Transect 3 Mean

1 0 2 1
2 1 3 2
3 14 11 13
4 26 19 22
5 27 34 29

a. Describe how these results would have been collected.

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b. Complete the table by calculating the mean values.

c. Calculate the range at 5 m from the oak tree.

d. Draw a graph of these results.

e. Describe the conclusion that can be drawn from these results.

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f. Suggest reasons for the pattern shown.

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 3. A group of students are investigating whether there is a
relationship between the distance downstream from a
sewage works and the number of dragonflies present.

They collected the following results:

Distance Number of dragonflies

from
sewage Transect 1 Transect 2 Mean
works (m)
1
2
3
4
5

a. Complete the table by calculating the mean values.

b. Calculate the range at 5 m from the oak tree.

c. Draw a graph of these results.

d. Describe the conclusion that can be drawn from these results.

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e. Suggest reasons for the pattern shown.

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f. Suggest why this data may have been more difficult to record than the other
investigations.
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g. Explain why this data may be less reliable than the other investigations.
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