Fieldwork numeracy: traffic measurements

Finding the mean and range

When collecting fieldwork data, there are many ways to present and analyse your findings.
This activity will help you to understand how to find the mean and range of data sets. You
will also learn about choosing appropriate graphs.

GCSE Urban fieldwork notes

Traffic noise measurements

Hypothesis: The traffic noise is loudest in rush hour (from 8.30 to 9.30am).
How the data was collected:
Traffic noise was measured using a sound level meter app on a mobile phone. The noise was
measured every hour throughout the morning, starting at 8am and ending at midday.

Results: Site 1 Site 2

noise (decibels) (by traffic lights on main road) (on side street)

8am 51 48
9am 68 58
10am 57 56
11am 58 50
12 noon 48 45

Traffic vehicle types

Hypothesis: The majority of people travel by car.
At the two sites, traffic was counted heading in the direction of the city centre over a
15-minute period.
Results
Vehicle type Tally Total % of all traffic

Lorry/truck |||| 5 4.67

Coach/bus |||| |||| 9 8.41

Van |||| ||| 8 7.48

Minibus 0 0.00

Motorbike |||| 5 4.67

|||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |||| ||||

Car 60 57.94
|||| |||| |||| |||| ||||

Bicycle |||| |||| |||| 14 13.08

|||| (tractor, limo, motorhome and car

Other 4 3.74
transporter)

Total 107

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 Fieldwork numeracy: traffic measurements
Tasks

1. Mean average = Sum of all data collected

Total number of items of data collected

Worked example: Your turn:

In this case, the mean Work out the mean average traffic noise in the morning for site 2:
average traffic noise in the
48
morning at site 1 was:
58
Sum of all data =
56
51
50
68
45
57
58 = ..............

48 Divide this number by 5 (the number of times the data was

collected at site 2 throughout the morning)
= 282/5 = 56.4 decibels
Total answer = ................
2. Range: the range of a data set means the difference between the highest and lowest values

Worked example: Your turn:

For site 1, the lowest For site 2: the lowest decibel recording was ................ and
decibel recording was 48
and the highest was 68. the highest was .................................................. .

68 – 48 = 20 decibels ................ – ............... = ............... decibels

3. Choosing appropriate graphs

There are many different graphs that are used to represent geographical data. This website
www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z9xmdxs/revision/1 explains these really well.
Deciding which to use can be tricky, but this guide gives a good overview:
nces.ed.gov/nceskids/help/user_guide/graph/whentouse.asp
In geography, the three most common graph types are pie charts, bar graphs and line graphs.
Their use depends on the data collection type that has taken place.

Do you want to show proportions* of something? Pie chart

Do you want to show discrete** data? Do you want to show total amounts too? Bar graph

Do you want to show continuous*** data? Line graph

* Proportion means the percentage of the total that one specific data set makes up, e.g. 1 purple
bike out of 20 bikes in total would mean that 5% of the measured bikes were purple.
** Discrete data can be counted, e.g. population, number of cars.
*** Continuous data cannot be counted, e.g. temperature, noise level, time, weight.

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 Fieldwork numeracy: traffic measurements
1. What type of graph would be best to show the different vehicle types in the traffic vehicle
types data set?

.........................................

2. Complete the graph below. Remember to use a pencil in case you make a mistake and a ruler
for straight lines.

Bar chart to show __________________

70

60
Total number of vehicle types counted

50

40

30

20

10

Vehicle types

3. If you were to create a graph for the traffic noise measurements, which would you choose?

.........................................

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 Fieldwork numeracy: traffic measurements
4. Complete the line graph for site 2. Remember to use a pencil and a ruler. You can go over
the line in colour once you’ve got it right.

Line graph to show _____________________

80

70

60

50
Noise level (decibels)

40

30

20

10

0
8am 9am 10am 11am 12 noon
Time

Site 1 Site 2

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 Fieldwork numeracy: traffic measurements
Answers:
1. Mean average = 51.4
2. Range: 58 – 45 = 13 decibels
3. Bar graph
4.

Bar chart to show vehicle type totals

over a 15-minute period
70
Total number of vehicle types counted

60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Vehicle types

5. Line graph
6.

Line graph to show noise level

variation at two sites
80

70

60
Noise level (decibels)

50

40

30

20

10

0
8am 9am 10am 11am 12 noon
Time
Site 1 Site 2

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