GCSE · Data representation

Time seriesExam-style questions

Measurements plotted against time and joined in order — why joining is legitimate here but not on a scatter graph, how to describe a trend so it earns the mark, how to spot seasonal variation and use it to predict the next quarter, and why predicting far beyond the data is worthless.

11 questions · GCSE (Higher) level · mark scheme and worked solution on each · no sign-up to try

DifficultyAllLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5
  1. 1
    An estate agent recorded the number of houses she sold in each quarter of 2023 and 2024.

    The time-series graph below shows this information. Quarter 1 on the graph is the first quarter of 2023 and quarter 5 is the first quarter of 2024.1234567891234567891011121314Quarter (1 = Q1 of 2023)Houses sold(a) Write down the number of houses she sold in quarter 2 of 2024.

    (b) Work out the difference between the greatest and the least number of houses she sold in a quarter of 2023.
    Level 2 · 3 marksTry it
  2. 2
    The time series graph shows the number of ice creams (in hundreds) a shop sold each quarter over two years.2468481216202428323640Quarter (1 = Q1 of 2024)Ice creams sold (hundreds)Describe the pattern the graph shows.
    Level 2 · 2 marksTry it