Line Plots Grade 6
What is a Line Plot in 6th Grade?
A line plot is a graph that displays data with the help of symbols above a number
line showing the frequency of each value. It is used to organize the data in a
simple way and is very easy to interpret. Let us learn everything about line plots
in this article.
Line Plot Definition
A line plot is a graphical representation of data on a number line using dots, crosses, or any
other symbol. Each mark represents a specific quantity which is the scale of the graph. The
categories of the data are represented on the number line followed by drawing marks or
symbols to denote the variables over each category. For example, if 6 children are
participating in a dance competition and 4 are participating in the singing competition, then
'dancing' and 'singing' will be represented on the number line. 6 dots will be drawn over
dancing and 4 dots will be drawn over singing, where each dot will represent one child. It is
known as a line plot graph. Let us learn more about a line plot graph in the next section.
Line Plot Graph
A line plot graph is a way to graphically represent the data on a number line using
symbols. It is different from a line graph as here we do not use a cartesian plane or x
and y-axis for data representation. A line plot graph is drawn simply on a number line.
For example, in a survey of the favorite sport with 12 children, it is found that 5 children
like cricket, 3 like football, 1 like volleyball, and 3 children like badminton.
How to Make a Line Plot?
A line plot is a convenient way to represent the data graphically. To make a line plot, follow the steps given
below:
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Step 1: Identify the categories of the data. In the above example, there were 4
categories on which the data was collected, i.e. Cricket, Football, Volleyball, and
Badminton.
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Step 2: Count the frequency of each category and represent it using any symbol of your
choice. For example, if 5 children like Cricket, we draw 5 symbols ('x') above Cricket.
However, it is important to use only one type of symbol throughout the graph. For an
instance, we do not use a dot and a cross sign together in one line plot showing the
same thing.
●
Step 3: Mention label and scale. The label is what we write below the categories on the
number line. For example, in the above graph, "Favorite Sport" is the label. The scale is
the unit or number that each symbol is representing. In the above graph, the scale is "1 x
Reading a Line Plot
To read a line plot, we first need to identify the scale or units that each symbol
represents. If nothing is mentioned, we consider it as 1 unit. Then we count the
symbols used over each category on the number line. Multiply the number of symbols
with the scale to get the frequency of each category. This is how we read a line plot.
Video
https://youtu.be/wBYgulZ-Xgo
Let’s practice
ANSWER: 18
18
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