CurriculumGrade 6Mathematics

Dot Plots, Histograms, and Box Plots

Aligned to 6.SP.B.4 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

What this lesson teaches

Each plot shows numerical data on a number line differently: a dot plot marks each value, a histogram groups values into equal bars, and a box plot shows the median and quartiles. Pick the one that fits your data.

Worked example

For pet counts 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, a dot plot puts two dots above 1, three dots above 2, and one dot above 3 — you can see 2 is the most common.

Practice questions

  1. Make a dot plot for the data 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5.
  2. You have ages grouped as 10–14, 15–19, 20–24. Which plot fits best?
  3. Explain what the middle box in a box plot represents.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

Diagramas de Puntos, Histogramas y de Caja

Cada diagrama muestra datos numéricos en una recta de forma distinta: el diagrama de puntos marca cada valor, el histograma agrupa valores en barras iguales, y el diagrama de caja muestra la mediana y los cuartiles. Elige el que se ajuste a tus datos.

Ejemplo: Para el número de mascotas 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, un diagrama de puntos pone dos puntos sobre el 1, tres sobre el 2 y uno sobre el 3: se ve que 2 es lo más común.

More Statistics & Probability lessons

Statistical Variability and Data Displays6.SP.A.3What Makes a Statistical Question6.SP.A.1Center, Spread, and Shape6.SP.A.2Summarizing a Data Set6.SP.B.5

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