​Learning Goals

• Understand how to analyze line graphs and dot plots

• Use data to describe trends, compare values, and make inferences

A line graph shows how something changes over time.
Each dot on the graph represents a piece of data, like temperature or hours of sleep. Lines connect the dots so you can see if the numbers go up, down, or stay the same.
To read it:

• Look at the bottom (x-axis) to see when something happened.

• Look at the side (y-axis) to see how much or how many.

• Follow the line to see the trend or pattern.

What is a line graph?

Line Graph 1: Average Daily Temperature in Glendora

Data: Temperatures from Monday to Sunday
Graph Type: Line Graph

Line Graph 2: Hours of Sleep per Night

Data: Student's sleep from Monday to Sunday
Graph Type: Line Graph

A dot plot shows how often each number or category happens. Each dot represents a piece of data, one person, thing, or result. The more dots above a number, the more times it happened.

To read it:

• Look along the bottom to see the numbers being measured.

• Count the dots above each number to see how many people or things had that value.

What is a dot plot?

Dot Plot 1: Number of Pets Students Have

Data: Number of Pets Each Student Has
Graph Type: Dot Plot

Dot Plot 2: Text Messages Sent in a Day

Data: Number of Texts Sent by Students
Graph Type: Dot Plot