Task Sets: Recognize that a measure of center summarizes all values with a single number - Common Core Math - Grade 6

Warm-Up: Review What You Know

These problems review key vocabulary.

A distribution has center, spread, and shape. Which feature describes 'the typical value in the data set'?

Spread

Center

Shape

Range

Which phrase best describes the spread of a distribution?

The most common value.

The middle value when data is sorted.

How far apart or how varied the data values are.

The highest point on a dot plot.

Fluency Practice

Use the definitions of center and variation to analyze data sets.

A data set has five values: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. What is the mean?

A data set has five values: 1, 2, 7, 12, 13. What is the mean?

$Two data sets plotted on number lines. Both have a mean of 7, but Set A clusters tightly around 7 while Set B is widely spread.$

Both data sets {3, 5, 7, 9, 11} and {1, 2, 7, 12, 13} have the same mean (7). What does this show about using mean alone to describe data?

The mean is all we need — both sets are identical.

The mean captures the typical value but hides the variation — we also need a measure of variation.

A higher mean would tell us more about the data.

The mean is never useful for comparing data sets.

Data set A: {5, 5, 5, 5}. Data set B: {2, 4, 6, 8}. Both have a mean of 5. Without computing, which data set has more variation? Explain how you know.

Exercises: Measures of Center and Variation

Warm-Up: Review What You Know

Fluency Practice