GCSE · Scatter graphs & correlation

Scatter graphs & correlationExam-style questions

Why one point on a scatter graph is one individual measured twice, how to describe correlation by type and strength in the words of the question, why a correlation never proves a cause, and how to place a line of best fit — through the bulk of the data, balanced either side, ignoring a genuine outlier.

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

DifficultyAll Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

1
The scatter graph shows the hours students revised and their test scores.Describe the type of correlation shown.
Level 1 · 1 markTry it
2
A scatter graph of the age of a car against its value shows that as age increases, value decreases. What type of correlation is this?
Level 1 · 1 markTry it
3
For each of $10$ days in November, a café recorded the midday temperature, in °C, and the number of hot chocolates it sold that day. The scatter graph shows this information.(a) Write down what one point on the scatter graph represents.

(b) On how many of these days did the café sell more than $40$ hot chocolates?

(c) Describe the correlation shown by the scatter graph.
Level 2 · 4 marksTry it
4
Twelve members of an athletics club each ran $100$ m and each did a long jump. The scatter graph shows each member's $100$ m time, in seconds, and the length of their long jump, in metres.(a) Describe the correlation shown by the scatter graph.

(b) Sam looks at the scatter graph and says: "This proves that a person's sprinting ability affects how far they can long jump."

Explain why the scatter graph does not show this.
Level 3 · 4 marksTry it
5
Ten pupils each sat a maths test and a physics test. Both tests were marked out of $100$ .

Ellie plotted their marks and then joined the points with a ruler, as shown. She says this is her line of best fit.(a) Explain why what Ellie has drawn is not a line of best fit.

(b) Describe the correlation shown by the ten points.
Level 3 · 4 marksTry it

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