1|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
Creating Data Tables and Graphs
How can you make sense of the data in a science experiment?
The first step is to organize the data to help you understand them.
Data tables and graphs are helpful tools for organizing data.
•
•
•
Data Tables: Read together as a class:
You have gathered your materials and set up your experiment. But before you start, you need
to plan a way to record what happens during the experiment. By creating a data table, you can
record your observations and measurements in an orderly way.
Why is it important to create a data table?

Directions of making all graph:
1.
2.

Now for bar and line graphs
3.
4.
5.

Count 4 lines in from the left and draw a vertical, or y-axis (label)
Count 4 lines up from the bottom and draw a horizontal, or x-axis (label lines)
Write the names of the categories to be graphed along the x-axis. Include an overall
label for the axis as well.
For bar graphs only
6.
7.

On graph paper: Put your first and last name, date, period on the top right hand corner.
Place the title at the top middle of the paper.
Label the vertical axis with the name of the responding and dependent variable. Include
units of measurements. Then create a scale along the axis by marking off equally spaced
numbers that cover the range of the data collected.
Label the horizontal axis with the name of the manipulated and independent variable.
For each category, draw a solid bar using the scale on the vertical axis to determine the
height. Make all the bars the same width.
For the line graphs only
6. Label the vertical axis with the name of the responding and dependent variable. Include
units of measurements. Then create a scale along the axis by marking off equally spaced
numbers that cover the range of the data collected.
7. Label the horizontal axis with the name of the manipulated and independent variable.
Include units of measurements. Then create a scale along the axis by marking off equally
spaced numbers that cover the range of the data collected.
1
2|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
Use the data of “Time spent on various activities in a week”
Time Spent on Different Activities in a Week
Days of the week
Going to Classes
Eating Meals
Playing Soccer
Watching Television
Monday
6
2
2
0.5
Tuesday
6
1.5
1.5
1.5
Wednesday
6
2
1
2
Thursday
6
2
2
1.5
Friday
6
2
2
0.5
Saturday
0
2.5
2.5
1
Sunday
0
3
1
2
Total Hours
Time Spent in Hours
Time Spent on Different Activities in a
Week
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Going to Eating Meals Playing
classes
Soccer
Type of Activity
2
Watching
Television
3|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
Suppose, for example, that a scientist conducted an experiment to find out how many Calories
people of different body masses burn while doing various activities. The data table shows the
results.
Calories Burned in 30 Minutes
Body
Mass
Experiment 1:
bicycling
Experiment 2: Playing
Basketball
Experiment 3: Watching
television
30 kg
60 Calories
120 Calories
21 Calories
40 kg
77 Calories
164 Calories
27 Calories
50 kg
95 Calories
206 Calories
33 Calories
60 kg
114 Calories
248 Calories
38 Calories
•
Calories Burned in 30 minutes
300
250
Calories Burned
•
Read together as a class
Notice in this data table that the manipulated/independent variable (body mass) is the
heading of one column. The responding variable (for Experiment 1, the number of Calories
burned while bicycling) is the heading of the next column. Additional columns were added
for related experiments.
To compare how many calories a person burns doing various activities, you could create a
bar graph. (copy in notes) A bar graph is used to display data in a number of separate, or
distinct, categories. In this example, bicycling, playing basketball, and watching television
are the three categories.
200
30 kg
150
40 kg
100
50 kg
50
60 kg
0
Bicycling
Playing basket ball
Activity
3
Watching T.V.
4|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
LINE Graphs: Read together as a class
A line graph is used to display data that how one variable ( the responding/dependent variable)
changes in response to another variable ( the manipulated variable). You can use a line graph
when your manipulated/independent variable is continuous, that is, when there are other point
between the ones that you tested. In this example, body mass is a continuous variable because
there are other body masses between 30 and 40 kilograms (for example, 31 kilograms)
Line graphs are powerful tools because they allow you to estimate values for conditions that you
did not test in the experiment. For example, you can use the line graph to estimate that a 35kilogram person would burn 68 Calories while bicycling. Copy data into notes:
Directions to making a line graph: Use the following data.
Body Mass (kg)
x-axis
Calories Burned in 30 Minutes
y-axis
30
60
40
77
50
95
60
114
X-axis
vs.
Leg Length (cm)
Y-axis
Time of 40 yard dash (sec)
24
9
31
9.2
37
11
38
10
39
8.2
42
8.4
51
8.1
55
9.3
62
9
71
10
4
5|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
Temperature (C’)
Pressure (atmospheres)
31
1.8
27
1.6
26
1.4
22
1.2
19
1.0
17
0.9
14
0.9
14
0.8
11
0.7
Height (cm)
Vertical Jump (cm)
59
12
60
17
61
16
62
24
65
21
65
35
67
27
68
36
71
31
74
11
5
6|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
Temperature (C’)
Rain Fall(cm)
16
2
17
5
18
1
18
6
21
12
24
4
25
0
28
14
29
8
33
4
CIRCLE GRAPHS
Circle graphs can only be used when you have data for all the categories that make up a
given topic. A circle graph is sometimes called a pie chart. The pie represents the entire
topic, while the slices represent the individual categories. The size of a slice indicates what
percentage of the whole a particular category makes up.
The data table below shows the results of a survey in which 24 teenagers were asked to
identify their favorite sport. The data were then used to create the circle graph. Copy data
into notes:
Favorite Sports
Sport
Students
Soccer
8
Basketball
6
Bicycling
6
Swimming
4
6
7|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
Copy and then follow directions
1. On graph paper: Put your full name, date, period on the top right hand corner.
2. Place the title at the top middle of the paper.
3. Fold graph paper into half vertically and then horizontally. Then place a dot at the center of
the creases.
4. Place the protractor in the middle and then draw a circle. Then draw a line from the center
point to the top of the circle.
5. Determine the size of each “slice” by setting up a proportion where x equals the number of
degrees in a slice. (Note: a Circle contains 360 degrees.) For example, to find the number of
degrees in the “soccer” slice, set up the following proportion:
Students who prefer soccer
Total number of students
degrees in a circle
=
x_____
Total number of
The “soccer” slice should contain 120 degrees.
6. Use a protractor to measure the angle of the first slice, using the line you drew to the top of
the circle as the 0ᵒ line. Draw a line from the center of the circle to the edge for the angle
you measured.
7. Continue around the circle by measuring the size of each slice with the protractor. Start
measuring from the edge of the previous slice so the wedges do not overlap. When you are
done, the entire circle should be filled in.
8. Determine the percentage of the whole circle that each slice represents. To do this, divide
the number of degrees in a slice by the total number of degrees in a circle (360), and
multiply by 100%. For the “soccer” slice, you can find the percentage as follows:
120 x 100% = 33.3%
360
9. Use a different color for each slice. Label each slice with the category and with the
percentage of the whole it represents.
Sport
Students
Degrees use protractor
Soccer
8
8
𝑋
=
24 360
120
∗
360
100 = 33
Basketball
6
6
𝑋
=
24 360
90
∗
360
100 = 25
Bicycling
6
6
𝑋
=
24 360
90
∗
360
100 - 25
Swimming
4
4
𝑋
=
24 360
60
∗
360
100 = 17
7
Percents
8|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
Sports that Teens Prefer
Swimming
17%
Soccer
33%
Basketball
25%
Bicycling
25%
In a class of 28 students, 12 students take the bus to school, 10 students walk, and 6
students ride their bicycles. Create a data table and a circle graph to display these data.
In a class of 28 students, 12 students take the bus to school, 10 students walk, and 6
students ride their bicycles. Create a data table and a circle graph to display these data.
Students
Degrees use protractor
Bus
12
12
𝑋
=
28 360
154
∗
360
100 = 43
Walk
10
10
𝑋
=
28 360
129
∗
360
100 = 36
Bicycling
6
6
𝑋
=
28 360
77
∗
360
100 = 21
Total student
28
8
Percents
9|Marszalek – Science 7th & 8th grade – Making Graphs
Students
bicycle
21%
Bus
43%
walk
36%
9