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Secondary Data Exploration

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Secondary Data Exploration

Aotearoa Active is planning a weekend activity event. Use the information and data below to investigate what the results can—and cannot—tell us. Answer every question.

The survey report

Aotearoa Active found this report online. A sports-equipment company surveyed 200 Year 6 students from four Auckland schools in March. Students chose one favourite weekend activity from a list. The company says it wants to use the results to decide which equipment to promote.

Weekend activity

Students

Playing a team sport

Cycling or scootering

Swimming

Gaming

Other

Explore the data

Use the survey report and results table for Questions 1–6.

1.The company found and is using data that had already been collected. What is this kind of data called?

Primary data
Secondary data
Estimated data
Secret data

2.Which activity was chosen by the greatest number of students, and how many students chose it?

3.How many more students chose playing a team sport than swimming? Show or explain how you worked it out.

4.Check the total in the table. Do the activity counts add up to the 200 students in the report? Include your calculation and conclusion.

5.The report says the students came from four Auckland schools. Is it fair to conclude that these results show the favourite weekend activity of all Year 6 students in New Zealand? Explain why or why not.

6.The survey was carried out by a sports-equipment company that wants to promote equipment. Could this purpose affect how the results are collected or presented? Give one possible example.

Be a careful data detective

Think about the source, purpose and limits of the report.

7.Which detail would help you judge whether the survey results are trustworthy?

The colour of the report title
How students were selected and what question they were asked
The name of the most popular activity
How many activities are in the table

8.The survey asked each student to choose one favourite activity. Name one variable recorded in this survey and say what type of answer it can have.

9.A website claims, “Most Year 6 students prefer team sports.” Based only on this report, is that claim supported? Use a number or comparison from the table and mention one limitation.

10.Suggest one change that would make a new survey give a more representative picture of Year 6 students’ weekend activities across New Zealand.