Description: This task is used to collect and summarise the mathematical information (concepts and procedures) used in this Educational Unit.
The information begins by putting the Statistics concept into its historical context. We think that it is important that students are aware of the cultural and historical roots of knowledge, and in this case of mathematical knowledge.
The need to use tables to order the data is then explained and the table concept is defined: tables are ordered sets of data in rows and columns. They should underline this definition as they should memorise it.
A table is then set up as an example of the above definition.
The difference between absolutes and relatives is then explained. The following should also be underlined: Absolute values give values and nothing more; relative values indicate the percentage relationship between one part and the total. The students should also memorise these two definitions.
This first part ends with the students having to answer two questions where the first question is what a table is: the definition has been given and they just have to copy it. The second question is slightly more complicated and will show if they have related the relative values with fractions, as the clearest reason is that a relative figure is a fraction and the percentages are appropriate to represent this type of quantities.
The different types of diagrams are listed on the second page and a distinction should be made between the Cartesian and sector diagrams. They have to relate Cartesian diagrams with diagrams on coordinate axes and the sector diagram with the part circular representation of a whole. It is important that the students learn the names of the different types of Cartesian diagrams. It is also important that the definition of diagram is stressed in this part.
The task ends with a pair of questions. The first part asks for a diagram to be defined. It is in the upper part. The answer to the second is similar to that of the first. We use the sector diagram because it represents parts of a whole, which means that it represents a relative value.
Competences:
Interpreting, summarising and memorising statistical data.
Difficulty level:
2
Estimated time: 20 (minutes)
Stage: COMPULSORY SECONDARY
