Graphical display of numbers may make it possible to spot patterns that are not otherwise obvious, such as comparative size and trends. Many objects can be described in terms of simple plane figures and solids. Shapes can be compared in terms of concepts such as parallel and perpendicular, congruence and similarity, and symmetry. Symmetry can be found by reflection, turns, or slides. Areas of irregular shapes can be found by dividing them into squares and triangles.
Scale drawings show shapes and compare locations of things very different in size.
By the end of 5th grade, students should know that Some predictions can be based on what is known about the past, assuming that conditions are pretty much the same now. Summary predictions are usually more accurate for large collections of events than for just a few. Even very unlikely events may occur fairly often in very large populations. Spreading data out on a number line helps to see what the extremes are, where they pile up, and where the gaps are. A summary of data includes where the middle is and how much spread is around it.