Monday, 15 September 2003
Describing Distribtions with Numbers

Topics
Assignments
Resources
  • Monach Butterflies - collecting data
  • Stem and Leaf volcanoes, time tables
  • Measuring centers
    • The Mean
    • The Median
    • The Mode
  • The conceptual differences and similarities between the mean and the median.


Photo: R. DeGray, Montpelier,Vermont

Note:e.g. for example. Latin exempli gratia Ref. The Random House Dictionary of the English Language

 

Collecting Data:

  1. Listen to the NPR All Things Considered interview with Dr. Lincoln P. Brower, Sweet Brier College. What are the estimated number of Monarch Butterflies per colony? What is the estimated number of Monach butterflies killed during the freeze of January 2002?
  2. Exercises: p 34; 2.1. p 36; 2.2, 2.3, 2.4.
  3. Read pp 37-44.
  4. Understand the distinction between the mean and the median by answering the questions posed in "Principles and Standards of School Matematics", NCTM.

E-mail: rdegray@sjc.edu.

Stem and Leaf of Volcanoes
Ref: Envisioning Information, Edward Tufte


Ref: http://www.edutrek.net/endangeredbutterflies.html

Mexico Storm Kills Monarch Butterflies6; from All Things Considered, Tuesday, February 12, 2002

February 12, 2002, Storm in Mexico Devastates Monarch Butterfly Colonies7 By CAROL KAESUK YOON; Science, "New York Times".

Principles and Standards of School Mathematics, NCTM

Text: The Basic Practice of Statistics, David S. Moore; Third Edition, Freeman, 2003