Session 5: Practice Activities
Time to Practice!
6 activities to reinforce what you learned. Try them all!
Difficulty levels: Easy Medium Challenge
1 Measurement Variability Easy Activity
Measure the length of your desk 10 times without looking at previous measurements. What is the range? Why are they not all identical?
2 Range Calculator Easy Activity
Calculate the range for 5 datasets: (1) 5, 8, 12, 7, 9 (2) 50, 51, 52, 49, 50 (3) 10, 90, 45, 55, 70 (4) 3, 3, 3, 3, 100 (5) 80, 82, 79, 81, 80. Which is most consistent? Most varied?
3 Personal Variability Tracker Medium Activity
Track one variable for 7 days (sleep hours, steps, screen time, or homework minutes). Calculate the mean and range. Draw a line graph. What is your 'normal range'?
4 Signal vs. Noise Medium Discussion
For each scenario, decide: signal (meaningful) or noise (random variation)? (1) Your grade drops 2 points on one test. (2) A city's crime rate doubles in one year. (3) You slept 30 minutes less than usual last night.
5 Variability Comparison Medium Activity
Collect the same measurement from two different groups (like heights of boys vs. girls, or test scores of two classes). Compare not just the means but the variability. Which group is more consistent?
6 Weather Variability Analysis Challenge Research
Look up daily high temperatures for your city for the past 30 days. Calculate the mean, range, and identify any days outside the normal range. Is any day an outlier? Write a short analysis of temperature variability in your area.