Data Trends Analysis

Name:

Date:

📊 Part 1: Identifying Data Features

1. Look at the temperature data for Auckland over 12 months. Which statement best describes the overall trend?

Temperature increases steadily throughout the year

Temperature shows a seasonal pattern with peaks in summer

Temperature remains constant with no clear pattern

Temperature decreases steadily throughout the year

2. In a scatter plot showing hours studied vs exam scores, you notice most points cluster around a diagonal line going up from left to right. This suggests:

No relationship between study time and scores

A negative correlation - more study leads to lower scores

A positive correlation - more study leads to higher scores

The data is unreliable

3. Which of these features should you look for when analysing data? (Select all that apply)

Outliers (unusual data points)

Clusters (groups of similar values)

Gaps (spaces with no data)

Trends (patterns over time)

Central tendency (typical values)

4. A box plot shows COVID-19 vaccination rates across different age groups. The median line is much closer to the top of the box than the bottom. This indicates:

The data is normally distributed

The data is negatively skewed (most values are high)

The data is positively skewed (most values are low)

There are no outliers in the data

📈 Part 2: Analysing Trends and Making Inferences

5. Describe what you would look for when drawing a line of best fit on a scatter plot:

6. A time series graph shows New Zealand's rainfall data over 20 years. You notice the line generally slopes downward with some yearly fluctuations. What informal inference could you make about future rainfall patterns?

7. You're analysing sports performance data and notice one data point that's much higher than all others. Explain two possible reasons for this outlier:

Reason 1: _________________________________________________

Reason 2: _________________________________________________

8. Complete this sentence: "When making informal inferences from data trends, it's important to consider _____________ and _____________ because predictions may not always be accurate."

🎯 Part 3: Extension Challenge

9. Advanced Task: Imagine you have a scatter plot showing the relationship between house prices ($) and distance from Auckland city centre (km). Sketch what you think this relationship might look like and explain your reasoning:

10. Critical Thinking: A graph shows that ice cream sales and drowning incidents both increase during summer months. Does this mean ice cream causes drowning? Explain what might actually be happening:

11. Real-World Application: Choose a current issue in New Zealand (e.g., housing, climate, health) and describe what type of data visualisation would be most useful for analysing trends in this area and why: