Discovering Relationships in Data

Part of Scatter Graphs · Section 1 of 8

IntroductionUnit: StatisticsGCSE

This introduction covers Discovering Relationships in Data within Scatter Graphs for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Scatter Graphs in Statistics for GCSE Mathematics with 14 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 1 of 8 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Discovering Relationships in Data

A teacher wonders: "Do students who study more hours get better test scores?" To investigate, she collects data from 20 students about their study time and test results. But looking at two lists of numbers doesn't reveal patterns easily.

Enter scatter graphs! By plotting each student as a point (study hours on x-axis, test score on y-axis), she can instantly see if there's a relationship. Do the points trend upward? That suggests more study leads to better scores!

Practice questions for Scatter Graphs

A scatter graph shows that as temperature increases, ice cream sales also increase. This is an example of:

  • A. Negative correlation
  • B. Positive correlation
  • C. No correlation
  • D. Causation
1 markfoundation

A scatter graph shows a strong positive correlation between the number of ice creams sold and the number of drowning incidents at a beach. A student says: 'Ice cream causes drowning.' Explain why this conclusion is incorrect.

2 marksstandard

Quick recall flashcards

What is correlation?
Correlation describes the relationship between two variables. It shows how one variable changes when the other variable changes, but doesn't necessarily mean one causes the other.
What is no correlation?
No correlation (or zero correlation) occurs when there's no clear relationship between the variables. Points on the scatter graph appear randomly scattered with no obvious pattern.

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