They compare and contrast different methods of representing data. Lesson 1 Fishbone Diagrams Fishbone diagrams are used as a brainstorming technique to aid in illustrating cause-effect relationships. Given one chart of starting level salaries for careers in different fields and at different degree levels, students explore the ways to reorganize the data into new charts, each with its own scheme or emphasis. Representations A detailed wage chart of salaries is presented in the form of a matrix. Students use matrix notation to describe information in the wage chart.
Students create a graphical representation of the matrix data.
Students also solve problems about arithmetic and geometric sequences based on the numerical data in the wage charts. Lesson 4 Bar Charts, Line Graphs, and Matrices The Soft Drink Company uses bar charts and line graphs to measure the company's progress in three areas of production. The students analyze the pros and cons of the company's data presentation, and develop alternate representations of the data with an accompanying rationale for their choices. Lesson 5 Coded Maps Coded maps include elevation maps, rainfall maps, city recreation maps, etc. In this lesson, students interpret data from a coded map of computer parts and suppliers.