Math 201 Project 1

Project 1 Instructions

Based on Larson & Farber: section 2.1

Use the Project 1 Data Set to create the graphs and tables in Questions 1–4 and to answer both parts of Question 5. If you cannot figure out how to make the graphs and tables in Excel, you are welcome to draw them by hand and then submit them as a scanned document or photo.

1.      Open a blank Excel file and create a grouped frequency distribution of the maximum daily temperatures for the 50 states for a 30 day period. Use 8 classes. (8 points)

2.      Add midpoint, relative frequency, and cumulative frequency columns to your frequency distribution. (8 points)

3.      Create a frequency histogram using Excel. You will probably need to load the Data Analysis add-in within Excel. If you do not know how to create a histogram in Excel, view the video located at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gQUcRwDiik. A simple bar graph will also work.

If you cannot get the histogram or bar graph features to work, you may draw a histogram by hand and then scan or take a photo (your phone can probably do this) of your drawing and email it to your instructor. (8 points)

4.      Create a frequency polygon in Excel (or by hand). For help, view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q-KdmDJirg (8 points)

5.      A. Do any of the temperatures appear to be unrealistic or in error? If yes, which ones and why? (4 points)

B. Explain how this affects your confidence in the validity of this data set. (4 points)

5.
A.
Two of the temperatures are unrealistic or in error. They are the temperatures corresponding to AZ (47) and CA (49). Since AZ and CA are states with hot weather in August, we would expect the temperatures corresponding to these states to be high. Low numbers such as 47 and 49 mean that the data for those two states are unrealistic or in error.

B.
I am not confident about the validity of the data set because there are two temperatures (AZ and CA) that seem unrealistic or are in error. The rest of the data may be valid, as the rest of the numbers look realistic.

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Project 1 Instructions

Based on Larson & Farber: section 2.1

Use the Project 1 Data Set to create the graphs and tables in Questions 1–4 and to answer both parts of Question 5. If you cannot figure out how to make the graphs and tables in Excel, you are welcome to draw them by hand and then submit them as a scanned document or photo.

1.      Open a blank Excel file and create a grouped frequency distribution of the maximum daily temperatures for the 50 states for a 30 day period. Use 8 classes. (8 points)

2.      Add midpoint, relative frequency, and cumulative frequency columns to your frequency distribution. (8 points)

3.      Create a frequency histogram using Excel. You will probably need to load the Data Analysis add-in within Excel. If you do not know how to create a histogram in Excel, view the video located at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gQUcRwDiik. A simple bar graph will also work.

If you cannot get the histogram or bar graph features to work, you may draw a histogram by hand and then scan or take a photo (your phone can probably do this) of your drawing and email it to your instructor. (8 points)

4.      Create a frequency polygon in Excel (or by hand). For help, view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q-KdmDJirg (8 points)

5.      A. Do any of the temperatures appear to be unrealistic or in error? If yes, which ones and why? (4 points)

B. Explain how this affects your confidence in the validity of this data set. (4 points)

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