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📊 6th grade math · Data & Chance

Mean, median and box plots

A statistical question expects different answers from different people or times. "How many pets does each student have?" varies. "How many days are in October?" has one answer.

Worked example

Which of these is a statistical question?
Answer: How old are the dogs at the park?
A statistical question is one you expect to have different answers, so the data varies. The answer is: How old are the dogs at the park?.

For grown-ups: Statistical questions; distributions; centre (mean, median) and spread (range, IQR, MAD); dot plots, histograms, box plots. Below: three problems to try with the worked answers, and a free printable sheet. Children can practise the same skill as a game, with no sign-up and no ads.

  • CCSS 6.SP.A
What this practises, for teachers

Practices statistical questions; distributions; centre (mean, median) and spread (range, IQR, MAD); dot plots, histograms, box plots (6.SP.A). A printable sheet with its answer key, worked answers on the page, no accounts.

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For your class

🖨️ Printable sheet and key

Try three

  1. Which of these is a statistical question?
    Show the answer and how
    Answer: How many brothers and sisters do the students in our grade have?
    A statistical question is one you expect to have different answers, so the data varies. The answer is: How many brothers and sisters do the students in our grade have?.
  2. Which of these is a statistical question?
    Show the answer and how
    Answer: How much rain falls each day in our town in a month?
    A statistical question is one you expect to have different answers, so the data varies. The answer is: How much rain falls each day in our town in a month?.
  3. Which of these is NOT a statistical question?
    Show the answer and how
    Answer: How many students are in our class?
    A statistical question is one you expect to have different answers, so the data varies. The answer is: How many students are in our class?.

Before and after

Learn first: Pie charts and the mean (6th)

Comes next: Fair samples (7th)

Name: ____________________Date: ____________Score: ____ / 12

Mean, median and box plots (6th grade)

  1. Which of these is a statistical question?
  2. Which of these is a statistical question?
  3. Is this a statistical question? How many players from one soccer team are on the field?
  4. Which of these is a statistical question?
  5. Which of these is NOT a statistical question?
  6. Which of these is a statistical question?
  7. Which of these is NOT a statistical question?
  8. Which of these is NOT a statistical question?
  9. Which of these is a statistical question?
  10. Which of these is a statistical question?
  11. Is this a statistical question? How many hours do kids in our town sleep on school nights?
  12. Is this a statistical question? How old are the dogs at the park?

Answer key

  1. How tall are the students in a 6th grade class?
  2. How long does it take each student in a class to get to school?
  3. No, it is not a statistical question
  4. How tall are the students in a 6th grade class?
  5. What is the capital of Colorado?
  6. How many points does a team score in each of its games?
  7. What is the capital of Colorado?
  8. How many days are in October?
  9. How many pets does each student in our class have?
  10. How many hours do kids in our town sleep on school nights?
  11. Yes, it is a statistical question
  12. Yes, it is a statistical question

More 6th grade skills: all 6th grade math skills, or every grade at math skills.