Year 8 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 9
Apply Worksheet
Learning Goals
Order the steps
Number the steps from 1 to 7 to show the correct order for creating a line graph in a spreadsheet from raw experimental data. Step 1 = what you do first.
| Order | Step |
|---|---|
| Check that the scale on both axes is appropriate for the range of your data. | |
| Enter data in columns with headers (variable name and units) in the first row. | |
| Add a descriptive chart title that explains what the graph shows. | |
| Select the data range you want to graph (including headers). | |
| Add axis labels with the variable name and unit on both the x-axis and y-axis. | |
| Insert a chart using the chart menu and choose the line graph type. | |
| Review the graph for scientific accuracy: does the trend match your data table? |
Scenario
A student is investigating how fertiliser concentration affects the height of bean plants after 2 weeks. They test 5 fertiliser concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/L) with 3 trial plants at each concentration — 15 data points total. They want to enter this data into a spreadsheet, calculate an average for each concentration, find the highest average value, and then create a graph.
(a) Describe how the student should arrange their data in columns. What headers should they use, and should each trial be in its own row or its own column? Explain your reasoning.
(b) If the three trial heights for the 0 mg/L concentration are in cells B2, B3 and B4, write the formula the student would use to calculate the average for that concentration.
(c) If the five average values are in cells E2 to E6, write the formula the student would use to find the highest average height.
(d) Give two reasons why creating the graph from the spreadsheet data is better than drawing it by hand on graph paper for this investigation.
Wrap Up
In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?