COMPARING DATA

TASK 1 Unsorted data

Below are two sets of unsorted data (each with 30 items).

Group A: 13 26 2 38 20 49 11 32 24 8 22 12 35 2 41 17 23 43 10 22 14 32 24 3 44 23 33 11 29 5
Group B: 24 39 3 47 16 27 2 28 18 38 11 46 26 31 17 29 5 34 20 39 7 49 17 24 37 43 13 9 26 18

Display each data set in the three forms given below. Describe the advantages of each representation.

1 Draw a back-to-back stem-and-leaf plot. Advantages

2 Draw side-by-side column graphs.

Use class intervals: 0–9, 10–19, 20–29, 30–39, 40–49

3 Draw two parallel box plots on the grid below.

TASK 2 Compare parallel plots

Two athletes were training for a 5 km run. They timed their training runs over a period of several
months. These parallel box plots show the results.

Answer each question below, giving reasons.

1 Who had the best training run?

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2 Estimate the median time for each runner.

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3 Who had the most consistent times?

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4 One of the athletes had an injury during the training time. Which athlete was it?

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5 Describe the type of distribution in both of the box plots (symmetrical, positively skewed, or
negatively skewed).

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