Unit 18
Unit 18
Unit 18
Scatter Plot
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3
Test Your Prerequisite Skills ........................................................................................................ 4
Objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Lesson 1: The Nature of Bivariate Data
- Warm Up! ........................................................................................................................... 5
- Learn about It! ................................................................................................................... 6
- Let’s Practice! ..................................................................................................................... 6
- Check Your Understanding! .............................................................................................. 9
Lesson 2: Constructing a Scatter Plot
- Warm Up! ......................................................................................................................... 10
- Learn about It! ................................................................................................................. 10
- Let’s Practice! ................................................................................................................... 11
- Check Your Understanding! ............................................................................................ 16
Lesson 3: Interpretation of a Scatter Plot
- Warm Up! ......................................................................................................................... 17
- Learn about It! ................................................................................................................. 17
- Let’s Practice! ................................................................................................................... 19
- Check Your Understanding! ............................................................................................ 24
Lesson 4: Strengths of Association between Variables in a Scatter Plot
- Warm Up! ......................................................................................................................... 26
- Learn about It! ................................................................................................................. 27
- Let’s Practice! ................................................................................................................... 29
- Check Your Understanding! ............................................................................................ 34 1
UNIT 18
Scatter Plot
One useful concept in statistics is determining whether a
relationship exists between two or more numerical or
quantitative variables. For example, educators are interested in
determining whether the IQ of a student is related to the
student’s score on a particular test.
These are just few things that can be answered by using the techniques of correlation and
regression analysis which will be discussed in the next units. In this unit, we are going to
explore bivariate data and their relationships in a scatter plot.
Before you get started, answer the following items on a separate sheet of paper. This will
help you assess your prior knowledge and practice some skills that you will need in
studying the lessons in this unit. Show your complete solution.
1. 6.
2. 7.
3. 8.
4. 9.
5. 10.
Objectives
Warm Up!
Classify my Variable!
Instructions:
1. This activity should be done in groups of five.
2. The teacher mentions a variable. Each group should classify the variable
whether it is qualitative or quantitative and whether it is nominal, ordinal,
interval, or ratio.
Example:
a. height of students – quantitative, ratio
b. marital status – qualitative, nominal
The activity in Warm Up! is a review on some classifications of data. Data can be classified
as qualitative or quantitative. They can also be classified as nominal, ordinal, interval, or
ratio, depending on the levels of measurement.
If we consider the number of variables involved or being observed, data can be classified
as either univariate or bivariate. When a study focuses on one variable or does not make
any comparisons, it involves univariate data. An example of this is any information about
an individual, household, or establishment. Other examples include measures of position
and measures of dispersion, which are calculated from a single population. When a study
focuses on two variables or makes comparisons, and involves independent and
dependent variables, it involves bivariate data. For example, students may be asked
about their daily allowance as compared to their average grade in school, or how their
weight is related to their height.
Let’s Practice!
a. salary
b. automobile price
c. military rank
Solution: Salary and automobile price are quantitative data since we use numbers to
represent them. Military rank involves general, major, lieutenant, and others,
which are categorical in nature. Thus, military rank is a qualitative data.
Try It Yourself!
a. temperature
b. address
c. grade level
Solution: Age and height represents bivariate data because it involves two variables.
Likewise, car’s age and car’s price is bivariate data. However, quiz score and
frequency of students are univariate in nature because they have no
relationship.
Try It Yourself!
Example 3: A dietitian measured the number of calorie intake and the corresponding
weight of 10 individuals. What is the nature of the data and the type of
variable from the given situation?
Try It Yourself!
A doctor measured the systolic blood pressure of 10 individuals. What is the nature
of the data and the type of variable from the given situation?
Solution: The number of policemen and number of crimes is bivariate data. The
number of crimes may depend on the number of policemen in the region.
Try It Yourself!
Warm Up!
Instructions:
1. This activity should be done in pairs.
2. The teacher will provide a set of ordered pairs in a worksheet to each pair.
3. Each pair should plot all the points on a graphing paper.
4. The plotted points will from some pattern, like shapes or figures, on the
graphing paper.
5. The first three pairs to show the teacher a finished work with the right pattern
wins the game.
The activity in Warm Up! is a review on graphing a set of ordered pairs in a coordinate
plane. For any bivariate data, we can assign one variable as and the other as . If we do
this, we can form a set of ordered pairs . These ordered pairs can be graphed in a
coordinate plane just like any other ordered pairs. This coordinate plane will be known as
a scatter plot. A scatter plot is a graph of a collection of ordered pairs . The ordered
pairs refer to the two variables being observed and compared.
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A scatter plot looks like a bunch of dots on a Cartesian plane, and some of the points
outline a general shape or move in a general direction. Based on this graph, we can
describe the nature of the relationship that exists between the variables being observed.
Let’s Practice!
3 6 7 8 8 12 13 14
24 19 22 24 20 18 23 24
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinate axes and label them based on the data.
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Try It Yourself!
12 16 14 15 20 19 16 15
33 34 46 36 22 19 22 25
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinate axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
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Try It Yourself!
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinate axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
13
Try It Yourself!
Real-World Problems
Temperature (in ) 34.0 34.5 31.2 30.2 29.0 32.4 33.5 35.6 36.0
Number of Cones Sold 75 77 80 86 66 118 99 111 122
Solution: Construct the coordinate axes and label them based on the data. Then, plot
the points on the plane.
Try It Yourself!
Minutes of
60 65 55 45 75 60 80 55 50
Practice
Game
12 15 20 22 18 30 22 17 22
Points
15
2.
10 12 16 14 19 20 22 15
12 34 26 29 30 21 28 24
3.
Age (in years) 12 16 20 22 24 25
Height (in cm) 144 150 155 160 159 171
4.
Age (in years) 12 16 20 22 24 25
Weight (in kg) 36 40 42 55 63 60
5.
Grade in English 80 75 85 90 88 94
Grade in Science 88 84 93 85 80 88
6.
Anxiety Level 2 3 5 7 9 10
Final Grade 91 92 90 88 77 85
7.
Family Size 3 5 6 7 8 10 11 12
Savings (in thousands) 3.6 2.3 3.1 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.2 0.9
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Warm Up!
Materials Needed: cartolina with drawn - and -coordinate axes, circle cutouts
with written coordinates, adhesive tape
Instructions:
1. This activity should be done in groups of ten.
2. Each group should have a coordinate axes taped on the board.
3. The members line up in a queue. Once the game starts, each student, one at a
time, randomly picks a circle cutout then tapes it on the cartolina according to
its coordinates.
4. There should be 10 points to plot per group.
5. The group with the fastest time and accurate scatter plot wins the game.
The activity in Warm Up! results in a scatter plot as discussed in the previous lesson. We
have learned from the previous lesson how to construct a scatter plot from a given set of
data. But how do we interpret such graph and make meaning out of it?
A scatter plot may be interpreted by looking at its form (or shape) and direction (or trend).
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Form
A scatter plot may appear linear or non-linear. The linearity of the points in the scatter
plot tells whether an association exists between the two variables.
The first figure is a scatter plot that shows no association between the two variables. This
can be said because no pattern can be seen in the plot. The second figure is a scatter plot
that shows a non-linear association. It can be seen in the graph that a curve pattern
forms. The last figure shows a scatter plot that shows a linear association. It appears that
the points in the graph follow a linear pattern.
Direction
A scatter plot can also be interpreted by looking at its direction or trend. This can be seen
when a trend line is drawn in the scatter plot. A trend line is the line closest to the points
in a scatter plot. The direction of the trend line tells whether there is a positive or negative
correlation that exists between the two variables being observed. If the trend line falls to
the left and rises to the right, there is a positive correlation between the two variables. If
the trend line falls to the right and rises to the left, there is a negative correlation between
the two variables.
When a positive correlation exists between the two variables, it means that when one
variable increases in quantity, the other variable increases as well, and vice versa. When a
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negative correlation exists between two variables, it means that when one variables
increases in quantity, the other variables decreases, and vice versa.
In the first figure above, the ages and weights of ten children in an area shows a positive
correlation. We can say that as a child ages, he/she gains weight. In the second figure, the
number of foxes and deers in a certain forest for ten years shows a negative correlation.
We can say that as the number of foxes grow in number, the number of deers decreases.
Let’s Practice!
Example 1: Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe its form.
24 26 28 32 34 36 38
5 7 8 6 10 13 15
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinate axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
19
Try It Yourself!
Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe its form.
18 20 24 30 33 35 40 45 50
2 4 3 6 10 8 14 12 17
Example 2: Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe its direction.
1 3 5 6 8 9 11
15 18 21 23 25 27 30
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinates axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
20
It can be observed that the trend line falls to the left and rises to the right.
This tells us that the two variables are correlated positively.
Try It Yourself!
Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe its direction.
3 5 6 8 11 15 20
30 27 24 22 21 18 16
Example 3: Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe its form and
direction. Interpret the scatter plot.
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
2 4 6 7 12 13 15 18
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinate axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
21
Try It Yourself!
Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe its form and direction.
Interpret the scatter plot.
6 10 12 13 16 18 20 22 28
45 40 37 36 32 28 26 26 24
Real-World Problems
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Number of Hours of Study 1.0 2.5 1.5 1.0 0.5 2.5 2.7 1.5 1.8 0.8
Average Grade 89 94 86 90 75 88 95 82 91 84
Construct a scatter plot of the data then describe its form and direction.
Interpret the scatter plot.
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinates axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
23
Try It Yourself!
Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe its form and direction.
1.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10 12 14 18 20 24 28
2.
10 12 16 14 19 20 22 15
12 16 26 29 30 28 28 24
24
3.
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
4 16 36 64 100 144 196 256
4.
Height (in
144 150 155 160 159 171
cm)
Weight (in
40 43 48 55 63 68
kg)
5.
Grade in English 82 84 88 91 93 95
Grade in Math 93 92 90 85 88 90
6.
Confidence Level 3 4 6 7 8 10
Final Grade 83 85 86 90 92 97
7.
Hours of Study 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Grade in Math 80 81 83 85 86 88 92 94
8.
Distance (in km) 0 50 100 150 200 250
Fuel Left (in
80 70 60 50 40 30
liters)
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Warm Up!
Instructions:
1. This activity should be done by the whole class divided into six groups.
2. Each group will be assigned a set of bivariate data as follows:
Group 1:
Group 2:
70 4
Group 3:
8 30
Group 4:
12 20
26
Group 5:
14
Group 6:
20 12
We have learned from the previous lessons how to construct a scatter plot using a given
set of data. We also learned how to describe a scatter plot based on its form and
direction. A scatter plot may be linear or non-linear. The linearity of a scatter plot tells
whether an association exist between two variables being observed. The direction, on the
other hand, tells us whether the relationship is positive or negative.
If two variables are related, how can we describe the strength of the relationship by just
looking at a scatter plot?
The relationship or correlation between two variables can also be described in terms of
their strength. The strength of the correlation between two variables in a scatter plot is
the closeness of the points to the trend line. Points that are closer to the trend line signify
a stronger relationship between the variables they represent. In, Warm Up! you may have
noticed the following six different scenarios:
27
The scatter plots above show different strengths of association between two variables. As
the distance of the points to a trend line gets smaller, the correlation becomes stronger.
28
Let’s Practice!
Example 1: Describe the strength of association between the two variables shown in the
scatter plot below.
Solution: It can be observed that the points are very close to the trend line. Thus, there
is a strong association between the two variables.
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Try It Yourself!
Describe the strength of association between the two variables shown in the scatter
plot below.
Example 2: Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe the strength of
association between the two variables.
1 3 4 5 6 7 8
10 12 17 15 10 15 12
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinate axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
30
It can be observed that the points are not very close to the trend line. Thus,
there is a moderate association between the two variables.
Try It Yourself!
Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe the strength of
association between the two variables.
Example 3: Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe the strength of
association between the two variables.
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinate axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
31
It can be observed that the points perfectly lie on the trend line that falls to
the left and rises to the right. Thus, there is a perfect positive association
between the two variables.
Try It Yourself!
Construct a scatter plot of the following data then describe the strength of
association between the two variables.
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6
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Real-World Problems
Number of Absences 2 8 7 5 4 11 13 15
Final Grade 95 85 87 90 92 71 69 65
Construct a scatter plot of the data then describe the strength of association
between the two variables.
Solution: Construct the x- and y-coordinate axes and label them based on the data.
Then, plot the points on the plane.
It can be observed that the points lie very close to the trend line. Thus, there
is a strong association between the number of absences and final grade.
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Try It Yourself!
Grade in Math 87 75 80 90 82 94 89 91
Grade in Physics 86 80 82 90 82 93 90 93
Construct a scatter plot of the data then describe the strength of association
between the two variables.
Construct a scatter plot of the following sets of data then describe strength of association
between the two variables.
1.
6
5 10 15 20 25 30 35
2.
10 12 14 16 18 20 22
21 25 28 30 33 36 38
3.
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
8 22 36 64 43 2 20 65
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4.
120 150 80 90 110 150 180
86 92 88 90 92 85 80
5.
82 84 88 91 93 95
93 92 90 85 88 90
6.
10 8 7 5 6 8
1 2 1 4 2 5
7.
7 8
800 760 750 600 300 250 210 100
Challenge Yourself!
1. Determine the value of that such that the scatter plot of the following data shows a
perfect positive correlation.
2 4 6 8 10 12
10 20 25 30 35
2. Describe the form, direction, and strength of the scatter plot of the following sets of
data.
a.
2 4 6 8 10
12 14 16 18 20
35
b.
4 6 8 10 12 14 16
16 24 32 40 48 56 64
c.
1 3 5 6 8 10 11 15
32 45 16 20 8 31 40 20
Performance Task
You are a researcher who is interested in the relationship between the arm span and
height of a person. You have to collect data from 40 randomly selected people in your
area. Then construct a scatter plot with the height in the horizontal axis and the arm span
in the vertical axis. Describe the scatter plot in terms of form, direction, and strength.
Interpret the relationship between the two variables.
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of the Scatter plot are plot are plot are plot are
Plot discussed discussed discussed discussed
incorrectly. correctly with correctly with correctly with
some few mistakes. no mistakes.
mistakes.
The report is
The report is The report is The report is
submitted
Punctuality submitted 2 submitted 1 submitted on
more than 2
days late. day late. time.
days late.
Wrap-up
Scatter Plot
Interpretation of
Scatter Plot
Form (Shape)
Strength of Association
Linear
No association
Non-linear Direction (Trend)
Positive Weak association
Moderate association
Negative
Strong association
Perfect association
Lesson 1
1. a
2. a
37
Lesson 2
1.
2.
3.
38
4.
Lesson 3
1. The form of the scatter plot is linear.
X
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3. The scatter plot is linear in form and negative in direction. This means that as
increases, decreases, and vice versa.
4. The scatter plot is linear in form and positive in direction. This means that as
amount spent in advertising increases, profit gain also increases, and vice versa.
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Lesson 4
1. The scatter plot shows a moderate association between the two variables.
2. The scatter plot shows a strong association between the two variables.
3. The scatter plot shows a perfect negative association between the two variables.
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4. The scatter plot shows a strong association between Math grades and Physics
grades of the students.
References
Bluman, Allen G., Elementary Statistics: A Step by Step Approach. New York: McGraw Hill
Education, 2013.
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