CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Mathematics Assessment Project

CLASSROOM CHALLENGES
A Formative Assessment Lesson

Using Coordinates to
interpret and
Represent Data

Mathematics Assessment Resource Service

University of Nottingham & UC Berkeley

For more details, visit: http://map.mathshell.org

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
May be reproduced, unmodified, for non-commercial purposes under the Creative Commons license
detailed at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ - all other rights reserved

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

MATHEMATICAL GOALS
This lesson unit is intended to help you assess how well students are able to work in the coordinate
plane to solve a problem in a real-world context. In particular, this unit aims to identify and help
students who have difficulty measuring and interpreting horizontal or vertical intervals on graphs.
This is needed later, when interpreting slope.

COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS

This lesson relates to the following Standards for Mathematical Content in the Common Core State
Standards for Mathematics:
6.G: Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, surface area, and volume.
This lesson also relates to the following Mathematical Practices in the Common Core State Standards
for Mathematics, with a particular emphasis on Practices 2, 6, and 7:
1.
2.
4.
6.
7.

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
Model with mathematics.
Attend to precision.
Look for and make use of structure.

INTRODUCTION
This lesson unit is structured in the following way:
Before the lesson, students work individually on an assessment task designed to reveal their
current understanding and difficulties. You review their responses and create questions for them
to consider when improving their work.
After a brief introduction, students work collaboratively in small groups interpreting a graph.
They then exchange their interpretation with a group that worked on a different graph. Each
group sketches the other groups interpretation as a graph. Students then share their work.
In a whole-class discussion, students review what they have learned.
In a follow-up lesson students use their learning and your questions to review their work.

MATERIALS REQUIRED

Each student will need a copy of the assessment tasks A Growth Graph and A Growth Graph
(revisited).
Each small group of students will need a pair of scissors and at least one sheet of graph paper,
either a copy of the sheets Vending Machine Graph: Monday and Vending Machine Cards:
Monday, or the equivalent for Tuesday; the sheets Vending Machine Graph For _ _ _ _ _ (day)
and Blank Vending Machine Cards; a few cut-up Completed Cards: Monday and Completed
Cards: Tuesday sheets. These may be cut up or left whole, as you prefer.
There is a projector resource to support whole-class discussions.

TIME NEEDED
20 minutes before the lesson, a 60-minute lesson, and 20 minutes in a follow-up lesson. Timings are
approximate and will depend on the needs of the class.

Teacher guide

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

T-1

BEFORE THE LESSON

Assessment task: A Growth Graph (20 minutes)
Have students complete this task, in class or for
homework, a few days before the formative
assessment lesson. This will give you an
opportunity to assess the work and to find out
the kinds of difficulties students have with it.
You should then be able to target your help
more effectively in the subsequent lesson.
Give each student a copy of the assessment
task, A Growth Graph.
Read the task carefully and then answer the
questions.
It is important that, as far as possible, students
are allowed to answer the questions without
assistance. Some students may find it difficult
to get started: be aware that if you offer help
too quickly, students will merely do what you
say and will not think for themselves. If, after
several minutes, students are still struggling, try
to help them understand what is required.
Students should not worry too much if they
cannot understand or do everything, because in
the next lesson they will engage in a similar
task, which should help them. Explain to
students that by the end of the next lesson, they
should expect to answer questions such as these
confidently. This is their goal.

5.

In what two-year period does Dek gain the most weight?

Explain how you know.

6.

Another unusual animal, called Martha, is discovered.

Marthas weight between birth and 15 years old is also recorded.
Use the information below to sketch on Deks graph, the growth curve for Martha.

Martha weighs the same as Dek from birth to the age of 4.

The only other times Martha and Dek weigh the same are when they are 11 and 15 years
old.

At 13 Martha weighs 20 pounds more than Dek.

The difference between their weights is never more than this.

Only between the age of 9 and 13 does Martha gain more weight each year than Dek.

Assessing students responses

Collect students responses to the task. Make some notes on what their work reveals about their
current levels of understanding and their different problem-solving approaches. We suggest that you
do not score students work. Research shows that this will be counter-productive, as it will encourage
students to compare their scores and distract their attention from what they can do to improve their
mathematics.
Instead, help students to make further progress by summarizing their difficulties as a series of
questions. Some suggestions for these are given in the Common issues table on the next page. These
have been drawn from common difficulties observed in trials of this unit.
You may use questions from the list on page T-3 or make a list of your own questions, based on your
students work. We recommend that you either:
Student Materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

write one or two questions on each students work, or

give each student a printed version of your list of questions and highlight the questions for each
individual student.

Teacher guide

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

S-2

T-2

If you do not have time to do this, you could select a few questions that will be of help to the majority
of students and write these on the board when you return the work to the students in the follow-up
lesson.
Common issues

Suggested questions and prompts

Misreads a value on an axis

Confuses value at a point with the length of an

interval

For the age you have written down, what is

Deks weight at the start of the year? What is
his weight at the end of the year?
When does Dek weigh the most?
How much weight did he put on when he was
14? 13? 12?

For example: The student figures out the age

when Dek weighs 20 pounds, not the year in
which his weight increases by 20 pounds (Q3).
Or: Assumes that Dek puts on the most weight
when he is heaviest, that is between the age of 13
and 15 (Q5).
Has difficulty comparing the length of two
intervals
For example: The student assumes that Dek puts
on the least weight between 0 and 5 years (Q4).
Overlooks one or more constraints
For example: The student does not take into
account that the difference in weight is never
more than 20 pounds.
Or: The student draws a line that crosses Deks
line more or less than twice.
Or: The student draws Marthas growth line with
an incorrect slope.

Teacher guide

Check your answers.

To answer the question what figures do you

need?
How much does Dek weigh at the start and end
of each five-year period? How can you use
these figures to answer the question?
Use the two lines on the graph to figure out the
maximum difference between Deks and
Marthas weight. Does this match the
information you are given?
How many times should the two lines cross?
How do you know?
For each year between 9 and 13, who puts on
the most weight? Does this match the
information you are given?

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

T-3

SUGGESTED LESSON OUTLINE

Whole-class introduction (5 minutes)
The purpose of the introduction is to make sure students understand the context of the task. At this
stage, there is no need to pre-empt any math issues, instead allow them to arise naturally as students
collaboratively work on the task. You may find students can work together to overcome these issues.
Display Slide P-1 of the projector resource:
Office Vending Machine

Explain to the class that office workers can purchase sodas from the vending machine.
Projector Resources

P-1

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

For the task, students will use the 24-hour clock. You may need to check that they understand it:
Do you know what the 24-hour clock is?
What time is 14-oclock?
Students may know the 24-hour clock as military time. A time such as 2 pm may be given as 1400
(just four digits) or as 14:00, with a colon separating two pairs of digits. Students should be able to
understand either notation.
Collaborative small-group work: Interpreting the Data (15 minutes)
Organize students into pairs or threes. If you have not already cut out the cards, give each group a pair
of scissors so that they can do it. Give one half of the class a copy of the sheets Vending Machine
Graph: Monday and Vending Machine Cards: Monday and the other half of the class a copy of the
sheets Vending Machine Graph: Tuesday and Vending Machine Cards: Tuesday. The idea of doing
this is that groups will later exchange completed sets of cards and use them to try to reconstruct the
original graphs.
Each graph represents the number of sodas in a machine throughout a particular day.
Display Slide P-2 of the projector resource:

Interpreting the Graph

1. Your task is to use the graph to fill in the blanks on each
card.
2. Take turns to select, cut out, and complete a card.
Explain to the rest of the group how you obtained your
answers.
3. Listen carefully to each other and ask questions if you
don t understand or agree.
4. Make sure that everyone in the group can explain the
reasons for each completed card.
Teacher guide

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

Projector Resources

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Graphs

P-2

T-4

Explain the task to students:

Some details are missing on the cards.
Use the graph to work out what to write on the cards.
When you have completed the cards, you will exchange them with a group that is working on a
different set of cards for a different day.
The other group will use your completed cards to reconstruct the graph representing the
number of sodas in the machine.
While students work in small groups you have two tasks: to note different student approaches to the
task and to support student problem solving.
Note different student approaches to the task
Listen and watch students carefully. Note different approaches to the task. In particular, note any
common mistakes. When figuring out the number of sodas bought in a specified period do students
count horizontal or vertical intervals (lines), or do they subtract y-coordinate values? You can use this
information to focus a whole-class discussion towards the end of the lesson.
Support student problem solving
Try not to make suggestions that move students towards a particular approach to the task. Instead, ask
questions that help students to clarify their thinking and encourage them to justify their answers.
You may want to use similar questions to the ones in the Common issues table. If a student has great
difficulty getting started you could ask:
Could you sort the cards, where possible, from earliest to latest times?
If the whole-class is struggling on the same issue, you could write one or two relevant questions on
the board or hold a brief whole-class discussion:
What does a horizontal line on the graph represent?
[A time when there is no change in the number of sodas in the machine.]
What does a nearly vertical line represent?
[A sudden decrease (or increase) in the number of sodas in the machine.]
What is the quickest way to figure out the number of sodas bought in this time period (provide a
particular time period)?
Collaborative small-group work: Representing the Data (15 minutes)
As students complete the cards, collect the Vending Machine Graph: Monday and Vending Machine
Graph: Tuesday graphs and ask students to exchange their cards with another group that has
completed a set of cards for a different day. They do not exchange graphs, as these will all have been
collected in.
If you find you are short of time, for groups that receive sets of Vending Machine Cards with few
completed, you may want to give out some or all of the Completed Cards from the relevant day.
Give each group Vending Machine Graph For _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (day).
Your task is to use the information on each card to sketch a graph of the number of sodas in the
machine.
For a few minutes just look at the cards that you have been given and try to make sense of them.

Teacher guide

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

T-5

Show and explain to students Slide P-3 of the projector resource:

Representing the Data

1. Take turns to use the cards to draw part of the graph.
Explain your reasoning to the rest of the group.
2. Listen carefully to each other and ask questions if you
don t understand or agree.
3. Make sure that everyone in the group can explain all
parts of the sketched graph.

Emphasize to students that the cards may not provide enough information to draw a complete,
accurate graph, just a sketch. Support the students as in the first collaborative activity.
Projector Resources

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

P-3

Sharing work (15 minutes)

As students finish sketching a graph, ask students to share their solutions with the group they
originally received the cards from.
Give each large group some Blank Vending Machine Cards.
Return to the students Vending Machine Graph: Monday and Vending Machine Graph: Tuesday as
appropriate.
Show and explain to students Slide P-4 of the projector resource:

Why do you think your sketched graph is different from the original one?
Do you think the graph or a card needs to be revised?
Encourage students to think carefully about what specific information would help significantly
improve the accuracy of the sketched graph.
Whole-class discussion: reviewing learning (10 minutes)
Hold a brief whole-class discussion of what has been learned.
What did you find easy about the task?
What did you find difficult about the task?
What helped you to make progress with the task?
Ask students to compare graphs.
Teacher guide

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

T-6

Slide P-5 of the projector resource shows both graphs:

26

26

24

24

22

22

20

20

Number of Sodas in Machine

Number of Sodas in Machine

Vending Machines: Monday and Tuesday

18
16
14
12
10
8
6

18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4

0
9:00
10:00
12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
9
10 11:00
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Time

9:00
10:00
12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
9
10 11:00
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Time

Encourage students to speculate why the graphs are as they are; what could be the story behind the
graphs?
Projector Resources

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

P-5

What are the big differences between the two graphs?

[Students may notice the times the machine is filled up, the times when there are no purchases or
the times when there are a lot of purchases etc.]
Can you think of a reason for each of these differences?
Are there any similarities between the graphs? [The total number of sodas bought each day, the
number of sodas bought just after 9am, the period before 5pm when no sodas were bought, etc.]
Can you think of a reason for each of these similarities?
What do you think the long vertical lines are telling us? Why?
How many people do you think worked in the office? Please explain.
Follow-up lesson: reviewing the assessment task (20 minutes)
Give each student a copy of the review task A Growth Graph (revisited) and their original papers
from the assessment task A Growth Graph. If you have not added questions to individual pieces of
work then write your list of questions on the board. Students should select from this list only those
questions they think are appropriate to their own work.
Look at your original responses and the questions [on the board/written on your paper.] Answer
these questions and revise your response.
Now look at the new task sheet, A Growth Graph (revisited). Can you use what you have learned
to answer these questions?
Some teachers give this as homework.

Teacher guide

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

T-7

SOLUTIONS
Assessment task: A Growth Graph
150
140
130

5. Dek puts on the most

weight between 12
and 14. He puts
on about 42 pounds.

120
110

Dek puts on 20
pounds when he is 12.

100

3.

Weight (pounds)

90
80
70
60

4. Dek puts on the least weight

between 5 and 10 years. He puts
on about 23 pounds.

50

2.

40

Dek weighs about

42 pounds when
he is 5 12 years.

30
20
10

1.

0
0

Dek is about 8 years old

when he weighs 50 pounds.
9

10 11 12 13 14 15

Age (years)

6. Below is a possible sketch of Marthas growth curve:

150
140
130
120
110
100

Weight (pounds)

90
80
70
60
Dek

50

Martha

40
30
20
10
0
0

10 11 12 13 14 15

Age (years)

Marthas curve will not necessarily look exactly like this and the differences may still be consistent
with the information given.
Teacher guide

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

T-8

Lesson Task: Vending Machines

Monday
M1

The number of sodas bought between

13:00 and 15:00

M2

was 4

M3

The number of sodas added to the machine

was 25

The greatest number of sodas bought in

one hour was between 11:00 and 12:00.

M4

In this hour 11 sodas were bought.

M5

The number of sodas bought between 9:00

and 13:00

M6

Between 15:00 and 16:00 twice the number

of sodas were bought than between
9:00 8and 10:00

There were just 24 sodas in the machine

M9

The longest time when no sodas were bought

was
between 15:45 and 17:00

was 20
M7

The machine was filled up once, just after

14:00.

M8

between 9:00 and 9:15

The least number of sodas in the machine

was 1

and 15:05 and 15:15

This was between 13:30 and 14:00

There were less than 18 sodas in the

machine.

M10

The number of sodas bought during the day

was 32

between 10:55 and 14:00

and 15:50 and 17:00
Tuesday
T1

T2
The number of sodas bought between 10:00
and 12:00 was 5

T3

There were less than 5 sodas in the machine

The number of sodas added to the machine

was 14
T4

between 15:45 and 17:00

T5

There were just 17 sodas in the machine

between 9:00 and 9:15

T9

The number of sodas bought between 11:00

and 17:00 was 22

T6 Between 15:00 and 16:00 twice the number of

sodas were bought than between
10:00 and 11:00.
T8

At 10:00 the number of sodas in the machine T10

was 12

Teacher guide

The longest time when no sodas were bought

was between 12:40 and 14:50
The number of sodas in the machine was 12

and 12:20 and 12:30

T7

The machine was filled up once, just after

11:00.

The least number of sodas in the machine was

0
The time was between 16:20 and 17:00
The number of sodas bought during the day
was 31

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

T-9

Assessment task: A Growth Graph (revisited)

4. A possible reason for steps in the graph is that trees do most of their growing during spring.
6.0

2. Between 6 and 18 months he

tree grows about 1 foot 2 inches.

Height of tree (feet)

5.0

3. The tree puts on the least

growth between 1 and 2
years. It grows about 1 foot 5 inches.

4.0

5. The tree grows

fastest between 27
and 30 months. It
grows almost 8
inches per month.

3.0

3.
2.0

2.

1.0

1.
0.0
0

12

15

18

21

24

The tree was 3 feet

high at about 27 months.

27

30

33

36

21

24

27

30

Age of tree (months)

6. Below is a possible sketch of Tree Bs growth:

6.0

Height of tree (feet)

5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

Tree A

1.0

Tree B

0.0
0

12

15

18

33

36

Age of tree (months)

Teacher guide

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

T-10

A Growth Graph
An unusual animal, called Dek, is carefully monitored between birth and fifteen years old and its
weight is represented by the graph below.
150
140
130
120
110
100

Weight (pounds)

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0

10

11

12 13

14

15

Age (years)

To answer the questions below you may want to write on the graph.
1. When does Dek weigh 50 pounds?
2. What does Dek weigh when it is 5 years old?
3. In what year does Dek gain 20 pounds?
4. During which five-year period does Dek gain the least weight:
ages 0 to 5;
5 to 10; or
10 to 15?
Explain how you know.

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-1

5. In what two-year period does Dek gain the most weight?

Explain how you know.

6. Another unusual animal, called Martha, is discovered.

Marthas weight between birth and 15 years old is also recorded.
Use the information below to sketch on Deks graph the growth curve for Martha.

Martha weighs the same as Dek from birth to the age of 4.

The only other times Martha and Dek weigh the same are when they are 12 and 15 years
old.

At 13 Martha weighs 20 pounds more than Dek.

The difference between their weights is never more than this.

Only between the age of 9 and 13 does Martha gain more weight each year than Dek.

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-2

Vending Machine Graph: Monday

26
24

Number of Sodas in Machine

22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
9:00
10:00
12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
9
10 11:00
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Time

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-3

Vending Machine Cards: Monday

M1

M2
The number of sodas bought between
13:00 and 15:00

The machine was filled up once, just after

_ _ :00.

was _ _ _

The number of sodas added to the

machine was _ _ _

M3

M4
The greatest number of sodas bought
in one hour was between

The longest time when no sodas were

bought was

_ _ :00 and _ _ :00.

between _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

In this hour _ _ sodas were bought.

____________________

M5

M6
Between 15:00 and 16:00 twice the
number of sodas were bought than
between

The number of sodas bought between

9:00 and 13:00
was _ _ _

_ _ :00 and _ _:00

M7

M8
There were just 24 sodas in the
machine

The least number of sodas in the machine

was _ _ _

between _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

This was between _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________

______________________

M9

M10
There were less than 18 sodas in the
machine

The number of sodas bought during the

day

between _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

was _ _ _

____________________

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-4

Vending Machine Graph: Tuesday

26
24

Number of Sodas in Machine

22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
9:00
10:00
12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
9
10 11:00
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Time

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-5

Vending Machine Cards: Tuesday

T1

T2
The machine was filled up once, just after
_ _ :00.

The number of sodas bought between

10:00 and 12:00

The number of sodas added to the machine

was _ _ _

was _ _ _

T3

T4
There were less than 5 sodas in the
machine

between _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

between _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The number of sodas in the machine

____________________
T5

The longest time when no sodas were

bought was

was _ _ _
T6

There were just 17 sodas in the

machine

Between 15:00 and 16:00 twice the number

of sodas were bought than between

between _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ :00 and _ _:00.

____________________
T7

T8
The number of sodas bought between
11:00 and 17:00

The least number of sodas in the machine

was _ _ _
The time was

was _ _ _

between_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
____________________

T9

T10
At 10:00 the number of sodas in the
machine
was _ _ _

Student materials

The number of sodas bought during the day

was _ _ _

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-6

Vending Machine Graph for _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (day)

26
24

Number of Sodas in Machine

22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
9:00
10:00
12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
9
10 11:00
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Time

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-7

Blank Vending Machine Cards

M11

M12

T11

T12

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-8

Completed Cards: Monday

M1

M2
The number of sodas bought between
13:00 and 15:00

The machine was filled up once, just after

14:00.

was 4

The number of sodas added to the

machine was 25

M3

M4
The greatest number of sodas bought
in one hour was between

The longest time when no sodas were

bought was

11:00 and 12:00.

between 15:45 and 17:00

In this hour 11 sodas were bought.

M5

M6
The number of sodas bought between
9:00 and 13:00

Between 15:00 and 16:00 twice the number

of sodas were bought than between

was 20

9:00 and 10:00

M7

M8
There were just 24 sodas in the
machine

The least number of sodas in the machine

was 1

between 9:00 and 9:15

This was

and 15:05 and 15:15

between 13:30 and 14:00

M9

M10
There were less than 18 sodas in the
machine

The number of sodas bought during the

day

between 10:55 and 14:00

was 32

and 15:50 and 17:00

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-9

Completed Cards: Tuesday

T1

T2
The machine was filled up once, just after
11:00.

The number of sodas bought between

10:00 and 12:00

The number of sodas added to the machine

was 14

was 5

T3

T4
There were less than 5 sodas in the
machine

The longest time when no sodas were

bought was
between 12:40 and 14:50

between 15:45 and 17:00

The number of sodas in the machine

was 12

T5

T6
There were just 17 sodas in the
machine

Between 15:00 and 16:00 twice the number

of sodas were bought than between

between 9:00 and 9:15

10:00 and 11:00

and 12:20 and 12:30

T7

T8
The least number of sodas in the machine
was 0

The number of sodas bought between

11:00 and 17:00

The time was

was 22

between 16:20 and 17:00

T9

T10
At 10:00 the number of sodas in the
machine
was 12

Student materials

The number of sodas bought during the day

was 31

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-10

A Growth Graph (revisited)

A trees growth over 36 months is represented by the graph below:

Tree A

6.0

Height of tree (feet)

5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0
0

12

15

18

21

24

27

30

33

36

Age of tree (months)

To answer the questions below you may want to write on the graph.
1. After how many months is the tree 3 feet high?
2. How much does the tree grow between six and eighteen months?
3. During which year does the tree grow the least?
How much does it grow over this period?

4. What possible reason could there be for the steps in the graph?

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-11

5. Between which months does the tree grow the fastest? Explain how you know.

6. The height of another tree (Tree B) is also recorded.

Use the information below to sketch on the graph for Tree A, changes in height for Tree B over
the same 36-month period:

For the first 3 months the two trees have the same height as each other.
The only other time the two trees have the same height is at 16 months.

At 6 months Tree A is 6 inches taller than Tree B.

The difference between their heights is never more than this.

At 27 months Tree B is 3 feet tall.

For each month between 18 and 30 months the two trees put on the same height as each
other.

Between 6 and 15 months and between 30 and 36 months Tree B grows more quickly
than Tree A.

Student materials

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

S-12

Office Vending Machine

Projector Resources

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

P-1

Interpreting the Graph

1. Your task is to use the graph to fill in the blanks on each
card.
2. Take turns to select, cut out, and complete a card.
Explain to the rest of the group how you obtained your
answers.
3. Listen carefully to each other and ask questions if you
dont understand or agree.
4. Make sure that everyone in the group can explain the
reasons for each completed card.
Projector Resources

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

P-2

Representing the Data

1. Take turns to use the cards to draw part of the graph.
Explain your reasoning to the rest of the group.
2. Listen carefully to each other and ask questions if you
dont understand or agree.
3. Make sure that everyone in the group can explain all
parts of the sketched graph.

Projector Resources

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

P-3

Sharing Work
1. Check your sketched graphs against the printed ones.
2. Notice any differences and take turns to explain each of the
differences.
3. If anything is unclear, ask for clarification. If you do not agree
with the explanation, then explain why.
4. Together, consider if you should change any parts of your
sketched graphs or answers on the cards.
5. Also consider what further information would have helped
improve the accuracy of the sketched graph. Add this
information to the blank cards.
Projector Resources

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

P-4

26

26

24

24

22

22

20

20

Number of Sodas in Machine

Number of Sodas in Machine

Vending Machines: Monday and Tuesday

18
16
14
12
10
8
6

18
16
14
12
10
8
6

9:00
10:00
12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
9
10 11:00
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Time

Projector Resources

9:00
10:00
12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
9
10 11:00
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Time

Using Coordinates to Interpret and Represent Data

P-5

Mathematics Assessment Project

Classroom Challenges
These materials were designed and developed by the
Shell Center Team at the Center for Research in Mathematical Education
University of Nottingham, England:
Malcolm Swan,
Nichola Clarke, Clare Dawson, Sheila Evans, Colin Foster, and Marie Joubert
with
Hugh Burkhardt, Rita Crust, Andy Noyes, and Daniel Pead

We are grateful to the many teachers and students, in the UK and the US,
who took part in the classroom trials that played a critical role in developing these materials
The classroom observation teams in the US were led by
David Foster, Mary Bouck, and Diane Schaefer

This project was conceived and directed for

The Mathematics Assessment Resource Service (MARS) by
Alan Schoenfeld at the University of California, Berkeley, and
Hugh Burkhardt, Daniel Pead, and Malcolm Swan at the University of Nottingham

Thanks also to Mat Crosier, Anne Floyde, Michael Galan, Judith Mills, Nick Orchard, and Alvaro
Villanueva who contributed to the design and production of these materials

This development would not have been possible without the support of
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
We are particularly grateful to
Carina Wong, Melissa Chabran, and Jamie McKee

The full collection of Mathematics Assessment Project materials is available from

http://map.mathshell.org

2015 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham

This material may be reproduced and distributed, without modification, for non-commercial purposes,
under the Creative Commons License detailed at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
All other rights reserved.
Please contact [email protected] if this license does not meet your needs.