MathsFreePrintable

Variables and Groups Worksheet

A free maths worksheet ready for your classroom. Open in Kuraplan to grab the print-ready PDF, customize it for your students, or generate a fresh version in seconds.

Download now

Name:Date:

Variables and Groups Worksheet

Help the Harbour Helpers plan a fair investigation. Read each question carefully. A variable is something you collect information about; a group of interest is the people or things you want to learn about.

Spot the variables

The helpers want to learn about people’s journeys to the harbour and what rubbish they find there.

1.Which is a numerical variable?

How people travelled to the harbour
Number of rubbish items collected
Favourite clean-up job

2.Sort each variable as categorical or numerical: type of rubbish; number of bags filled; transport used to get there; mass of rubbish in kilograms.

3.A helper records shoe size as 4, 5, 6 or 7 and uses these numbers only as labels for shoe-size groups. Is shoe size numerical or categorical in this investigation? Explain briefly.

Choose the group of interest

A good investigation question tells us what we want to find out and which people or things the information is about.

4.“How many reusable drink bottles do Year 6 pupils bring on a Friday?” Identify the group of interest and the variable.

5.“Which kind of rubbish is most common on this beach?” What is the group of interest, and what is the variable?

6.A survey asks every visitor at the harbour on Saturday about their favourite local activity. Which group is the best match?

All people in New Zealand
Visitors at the harbour on Saturday
The clean-up helpers

7.True or false: If the question is about Year 6 pupils, asking only adults gives a suitable group of interest.

TrueFalse

Make the investigation fair

The helpers will collect information respectfully and make sure the question can be answered clearly.

8.Which question is clearest for collecting data?

Do you like the harbour?
How many pieces of rubbish did each clean-up team collect in 30 minutes?
Is the beach nice?

9.Kai wants to find out the favourite clean-up snack of Year 6 pupils. Write the group of interest, variable, and variable type.

10.Write one investigation question about reducing rubbish at a New Zealand beach. Include a clear group of interest and a variable. Then name the variable type.

11.Give two respectful ways to collect information from people for a survey.