Graphing in the information age

Statistics Canada is sponsoring this Internet exercise to reinforce lessons on graphing, the interpretation of graphs, and the evaluation of information in order to help you choose the best type to use.

These graphing exercises use data available on Statistics Canada's web site. They were adapted from activities originally published in "Graphing in the Information Age: Using Data from the World Wide Web," by Juli K. Dixon and Christy J. Falba, which appeared in Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, copyright March 1997 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. All rights reserved.

Activity 1: Bar chart creation

Go to Television viewing, by age and sex, by province, where you'll find statistics on the average hours per week of television viewing. Use the data in the table to make a double-bar graph comparing television viewing habits of children and adolescents in each province. If possible, create your graph using a software program that has graphing options. Use your graph to answer the following questions:

1. Which province has the lowest total average hours per week of television viewing?
2. Which province has the highest total average hours per week of television viewing?
3. Is there a change in viewing habits from province to province?
4. Compare television viewing habits of children and adolescents in each province and describe the viewing habits of children and adolescents.

Activity 2: Line graph creation

Go to Average earnings by sex and work pattern. This page contains a table of data on average earnings for male and female full-time workers. Create a double-line graph to display the data. Use the graph to answer the following questions:

1. What does your graph show?
2. What are the average earnings for men and the average earnings for women?
3. Is the difference between male and female earnings consistent over time?
4. What might be some reasons for the gap between male and female earnings?

Activity 3: Circle-graph creation

At Court, youth cases by decision, you'll find information on the number of criminal code offences. Use the information to create a circle graph and then:

1. Explain what your graph represents.
2. Describe and answer at least three other questions that could be asked about the data in your graph.

Activity 4: Summary

Create different types of graphs (bar, line, or circle) using data located at Culture and leisure. After you have created your graphs:

1. Explain why the graph you chose was the best in each instance.
2. Write three questions for each graph you create that can be answered by looking at the graph.

Other graphing activities

• What is the average height in your class?

Please e-mail comments or examples of how you used this exercise in your class.