WHAT'S INCLUDED:

This lesson is aligned with TEKS 2012 - 8th Grade Mathematics

• TEKS Math.8.11A: Construct a scatterplot and describe the observed data to address questions of association such as linear, non-linear, and no association between bivariate data.

Task Cards: 24 Questions:

1. A social scientist investigates the relationship between the number of years of education a person has and their annual income. If the scatterplot shows a general upward trend, but with significant variability in income for people with the same level of education, what can be inferred?
   
2. A researcher is studying the relationship between the amount of exercise (in hours per week) and weight loss (in pounds) over a period of three months. After collecting data from various participants, the researcher plots the results on a scatterplot. Based on the type of relationship between the variables, which scatterplot shows a non-linear association?
   
3. Emma is tracking the number of hours she studies each week and her test scores over the past few months. She plots her results on a scatterplot, but the points don't form any clear pattern. Based on the scatterplot, what type of relationship is shown between her study hours and test scores?
   
4. A researcher is studying the relationship between the number of hours students study and their test scores. After plotting the data on a scatterplot, the points appear to form a straight line that slants upward. What can be inferred about the association between the number of study hours and the test scores?
   
5. A zoologist studies the relationship between the body weight of different mammal species and their average lifespan. If the scatterplot shows a scattered pattern with no clear trend, what is the likely conclusion?
   
6. An astronomer analyzes the relationship between the distance of stars from Earth and their apparent brightness. If the scatterplot shows a downward trend where brightness decreases rapidly with increasing distance, what kind of association is likely?
   
7. Dr. Richmond is studying the relationship between the temperature of a chemical reaction and the time it takes for the reaction to occur. She records the data and plots it on a scatterplot. After analyzing the points, she notices that they form a U-shaped curve. Based on this pattern, what type of association is observed?
   
8. An ice cream shop owner notes the daily high temperature (in °C) and the number of ice cream cones sold. A scatterplot reveals that sales increase as temperature rises, but the increase might level off at very high temperatures. What kind of association is suggested?
   
9. A construction worker measures the length of a wooden beam and its weight. What type of association would a scatterplot most likely display?
   
10. A plant nursery is studying the relationship between the amount of fertilizer used (in grams per week) and the height of seedlings (in centimeters) after one month. They collected data from 25 seedlings. If a scatterplot shows points generally rising from left to right, what can you infer about the association?
    
11. An economist is analyzing the relationship between the unemployment rate and the inflation rate in a country over the past decade. A scatterplot of the data shows a general downward trend from left to right. What does this suggest?
    
12. A fitness tracker records the number of steps a person takes each day and their resting heart rate that night. A scatterplot shows a scattered cloud of points with no discernible pattern. What conclusion can be drawn?
    
13. A chef is experimenting with different oven temperatures (in Celsius) and the resulting baking time (in minutes) for a specific type of cake. The scatterplot shows that as the temperature increases, the baking time generally decreases, but the rate of decrease slows down at higher temperatures. What type of association is likely present?
    
14. A car manufacturer is investigating the relationship between the age of a car (in years) and its resale value (in thousands of dollars). The scatterplot shows a steep decline in value for the first few years, followed by a more gradual decrease. What kind of association is observed?
    
15. A librarian recorded the number of hours students spent studying for a test and their corresponding test scores. If the scatterplot shows a generally upward sloping pattern, with the points clustered relatively close to an imaginary straight line, what can be said about the association?
    
16. A software company tracks the number of bug fixes implemented in each software version and the number of customer complaints received after the release. If the scatterplot shows no clear trend, what is the likely relationship?
    
17. A teacher is examining the relationship between students' attendance (number of days present) and their final grades. If the scatterplot shows a generally increasing trend, but with considerable scatter around any potential line, what can be concluded?
    
18. A store owner tracks the number of customers visiting their shop each day and the total sales for that day. If the scatterplot shows a generally upward trend with points relatively close together, what can be inferred?
    
19. A farmer records the amount of irrigation water used (in liters per square meter) and the yield of tomatoes (in kilograms per square meter). The scatterplot shows an initial increase in yield with more water, but then the yield plateaus. What does this suggest?
    
20. A website owner tracks the number of visitors to their site each day and the number of online purchases made. If the scatterplot shows a scattered cloud of points with no clear direction, what is the likely relationship?
    
21. A music teacher analyzes the relationship between the number of hours a student practices an instrument per week and their performance score in a recital. If the scatterplot shows a generally upward trend with points clustered somewhat loosely, what can be said?
    
22. A factory monitors the number of hours a machine operates continuously and the number of defective products it produces. If the scatterplot shows an increasing trend, and the points are relatively close to a straight line, what does this suggest?
    
23. A historian examines the relationship between the number of books printed in a century and the rate of literacy in that century. If the scatterplot shows a generally increasing trend, what does this suggest?
    
24. A health researcher investigates the relationship between the number of hours of exercise per week and blood pressure. If the scatterplot shows a scattered pattern with no clear upward or downward trend, what is the likely relationship?