Stem-and-Leaf Plots
How to Read Them and Construct
Them
Stem-and-Leaf Plot
A
STEM - A N D - L E A F
P LOT T HE
D ATA IS ARR A N G E D BY PLAC E VALUE .
T HE
DIGITS IN THE LARG E ST PLAC E IS REFE R R E D TO AS THE STEM AND THE D IGITS
IN THE SMAL L E ST PLAC E ARE REFER R ED TO AS THE LEAF
LEAV E S ARE ALWAY S D ISPLAY E D TO THE RIGHT O F THE
( LEAV E S ). T HE
STEM . T H E Y A R E
U S U A L LY U S E D W H E N T H E R E A R E L A R G E A M O U N T S O F N U M B E R S TO A N A LY Z E , S U C H
A S S E R I E S O F S C O R E S I N S P O RT S
In this case, the stem is the tens digit of the numbers and the leaf is
the ones digit.
Stem Leaf
0 0 0 4 6 6 7 9 9
1 0 1 2 3 4 5 8 9
2 1 2 3 6
3 5
1|3 = 13 hours
Example: The stem and leaf plot below represent the following set
of numbers:
0,0,4,6,6,7,9,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,18,19,21,22,23,26,35
In this case, the stem is the tens digit of the numbers and the leaf is
the ones digit.
Stem Leaf
0 0 0 4 6 6 7 9 9
1 0 1 2 3 4 5 8 9
2 1 2 3 6
3 5
1|3 = 13 hours
Example 2 TEST SCORES The table below shows the test scores
earned by a class of middle school math students on a chapter
test. Make a stem-and-leaf plot of the data. Then use it to
describe how the data are spread out.
Test Scores
82
93
81
87
94
80
85
93
75
58
94
96
85
77
79
80
88
86
86
82
90
92
93
76
Answer:
Stem
5
6
7
8
9
Leaf
8
5 6 7 9
0 0 1 2 2 5 5 6 6 7
0 2 3 3 3 4 4 6
7|5 = 75 points
Number of Books
E XAMPLE 3
Y OU T RY
Key: 1 | 1 means 11
The number of books each student has at
home is recorded. Make a stem-and-leaf plot
of the data.
Number of Books
38
46
16
28
31
12
27
32
49
33
12
38
34
48
22
36
29
47
41
24
30
21
17
40
13
32
15
31
21
13
16
43
33
30
25
28
29
13
11
49
Answer
BELOW ARE LINKS TO WATCH MOVIES
THAT SHOW YOU MORE ABOUT S TEM AND - LEAF P LOTS
•http://www.mathplayground.com/howto_stemleaf.html
•http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078804833/student_view0/chapter8/lesson3/personal_tutor.html
•http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/22957-discovering-math-stem-and-leaf-plotsvideo.htm
•http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/MathExtensions/datamgmt/teachers/orgdis/stmleaf.swf
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfFcQAaOg0I
B ELOW ARE THE LINKS OF INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES
WHICH HELP YOU TO CREATE YOUR OWN STEM - AND LEAF PLOT
•http://www.learner.org/courses/learningmat
h/data/swfs/3a_stem.swf
•http://www.learner.org/courses/learningmat
h/data/swfs/3a_order.swf
T EST YOUR SKILLS ON STEM AND - LEAF PLOTS
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078804833/student_view0/chapter8/lesson3/selfcheck_quizzes.html
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/documents/1600_01.pdf
http://www.mytestbook.com/worksheet.aspx?topics=Stem%20Leaf%20Chart&subject
=Math&grade=5&test_id=235
http://glencoe.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0078804906/student_view0/chapter11/lesson7/selfcheck_quizzes.html