Chapter 1: The Nature of Science
Date:____________
Section 3: Communicating with Graphs - Notes
Learning Goals:
 Identify three types of graphs and explain the ways they are used.
 Distinguish between dependent and independent variables.
 Analyze data using the various types of graphs.
A Visual Display:

__________________: a visual display of information or data.
o
Make it easier to understand ______________________ by displaying data in a visual manner.
Line Graphs:

Line graphs show any relationship where the ______________________________________ changes
due to a change in the _______________________________________.
o

Often show how a relationship between variables changes _________________________.
You can show more than one event on the same graph as long as the relationship between the
variables is ______________________.

Constructing Line Graphs:
o
Choose _____________________________________
o
x-axis should always show the ____________________________________variable
o
y-axis should always show the _____________________________ variable
Bar Graphs:

Bar graphs are useful for comparing information collected by ___________________________.
o
Each bar represents a quantity counted at a particular time.
o
Independent variable is plotted on ___________________
o
Dependent variable is plotted on ___________________
Circle Graphs:

Circle graphs, or ________________________, are used to show how some fixed quantity is broken
down into parts.
o
Each part of the circle graph represents a __________________________ of the whole.