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.

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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
    Ashdown Hall is a wedding venue. The time-series graph shows the number of weddings held there in each quarter from 2022 to 2024.

    Quarter 1 on the graph is the first quarter of 2022, quarter 5 is the first quarter of 2023 and quarter 9 is the first quarter of 2024.123456789101112131234567891011121314Quarter (1 = Q1 of 2022)Weddings held(a) Write down the number of weddings held in quarter 3 of 2023.

    (b) Describe the trend in the number of weddings held at Ashdown Hall. You must refer to figures from the graph.

    (c) Estimate the number of weddings that will be held in quarter 1 of 2025.
    Level 3 · 5 marksTry it
  2. 2
    A garden centre records its sales of garden furniture. The table shows the sales, in £ thousand, in each quarter of 2023, 2024 and 2025. The quarter 4 figure for 2025 is not yet known.
    Sales (£ thousand)Quarter 1Quarter 2Quarter 3Quarter 4
    202318465221
    202423515827
    2025285664—
    (a) Describe the trend in the garden centre's sales of garden furniture. You must refer to figures from the table.

    (b) Estimate the sales, in £ thousand, in quarter 4 of 2025. You must explain how you obtained your estimate.
    Level 3 · 4 marksTry it