Collecting and Recording Data Chapter Notes | Year 4 Mathematics IGCSE (Cambridge) - Class 4 PDF Download

How to collect and record data

• The objective is to plan an investigation to answer a statistical question and determine what data to collect.
• Conduct investigations to address statistical questions.
• Use a dot plot to record data effectively.
• Collecting and recording data helps answer questions and make informed decisions, such as determining popular cake flavors for a school fair.
• Planning an investigation involves identifying the statistical question, selecting appropriate participants, defining the task, choosing necessary equipment, and deciding how to record the data.
• Data recording should be planned to ensure it is easy to read and use, facilitating analysis and decision-making.
• Leaders and business people rely on data collection and recording to make informed decisions.
• A dot plot is a method to represent data visually:
  • Draw an axis that covers all values in the data set.
  • Label the axis clearly, e.g., "Number of pets" or "Number of books".
  • Place one dot above each number on the axis for each occurrence of that number in the data set, e.g., four dots above 0 for four instances of 0 pets.
  • Using squared paper helps ensure even spacing of dots for clarity.
• Dot plots allow for easy visualization of data distribution, such as the number of books read or hours of sport per week.