Validate categorical and numerical data, interpret mode and shape, and plan fair investigations.
Example 1
In this travel survey, which category is the mode?
Show worked answer
Answer: Car
- The mode is the category with the highest frequency.
- Car has 14 responses, more than each other category.
Example 2
Which description is supported by the book-count data?
Books read during one week| Books read | Students |
|---|
| 0 | 4 |
|---|
| 1 | 13 |
|---|
| 2 | 5 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 |
|---|
| 4 | 1 |
|---|
Show worked answer
Answer: 1 book was the most common count; only a few students read 3 or 4 books.
- The largest frequency is 13 at 1 book.
- Frequencies for 3 and 4 books are small. Describe the distribution in this context.
Example 3
A spreadsheet records each student's number of pets. Entries must be whole numbers from 0 to 20. Which spreadsheet row needs checking?
Show worked answer
Answer: 5
- Check that each entry is a whole-number count from 0 to 20.
- Row 5 contains absent, which does not meet the rule. Check the source before correcting it.