DOT PLOTS
DEFINITION
A data display in which each data item is shown
as a dot above a number line
 In a dot plot a cluster shows where a group of
data points fall.
 A gap is an interval where there are no data
items.

HOW TO MAKE A DOT PLOT VIDEO
STEPS TO CREATE A DOT PLOT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Order numbers from least to greatest.
Draw a number line.
Label the number line with the minimum and
the maximum then all the numbers that fall
between them.
Put a dot above each number on the number
line for each data entry in your set.
Don’t forget a title and labels!
YOU TRY IT!
A.
In an airline training program, the students are
given a test in which they are given a set of
tasks and the time it takes them to complete the
tasks is measured. The following is a list of the
time (in seconds) for a group of new trainees.
61, 61, 64, 67, 70, 71, 71, 71, 72, 73, 74, 74, 75, 77,
79, 80, 81, 81, 83
Display the data in a dot plot.
ANSWER!
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
= 1 person
61
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
ARE THERE ANY CLUSTERS?
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
Yes!
= 1 person
61
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
ARE THERE ANY GAPS?
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
Yes!
= 1 person
61
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TIME?
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
= 1 person
61
About 73
seconds
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
WHAT IS THE MEDIAN TIME?
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
= 1 person
61
73 seconds
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
WHAT IS THE MODE?
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
= 1 person
61
71 seconds
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
WHAT IS THE RANGE?
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
= 1 person
61
22 seconds
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
WHAT DOES THE MEDIAN
REPRESENT?
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
= 1 person
61
The center of
the data set.
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
WHAT DOES THE RANGE
REPRESENT?
Airline Training Program Test
New Trainees
= 1 person
61
The variation
in the data set.
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
Time in Seconds
TRY AGAIN!
In a science class, the students weighed some
samples of dirt to the nearest 1/8 pound. The
weights of the samples are given below.
1/8 lb, 3/8 lb, ¾ lb, ¼ lb, 1/8 lb, ¼ lb, 7/8 lb, ¼ lb, 3/8 lb,
¼ lb, ½ lb, 3/8 lb
B.
Make a dot plot for the data.
ANSWER!
Sample Weights
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
ARE THERE ANY CLUSTERS?
Sample Weights
Yes!
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
ARE THERE ANY GAPS?
Sample Weights
Yes!
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE WEIGHT?
Sample Weights
3/8 or 0.375 lb
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
WHAT IS THE MEDIAN?
Sample Weights
5/16 or 0.3125 lb
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
WHAT IS THE MODE?
Sample Weights
2/8 or 1/4 lb
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
WHAT IS THE RANGE?
Sample Weights
6/8 or 0.75 lb
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
WHAT DOES THE AVERAGE
REPRESENT?
Sample Weights
The center of the
data set.
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
WHAT DOES THE RANGE
REPRESENT?
Sample Weights
The variation in
the data set.
= 1 sample
0
1
8
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6
8
Weight in pounds
7
8
1
EXIT SLIP!
Mrs. Whitesides took a survey of ten 6th grade
students. She asked each student how many
items they recycle in a day. Below are her results.
0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 5
Make a dot plot to display this data.