Grades Sixth Grade Statistics & ProbabilityDot Plots, Histograms, and Box Plots

Dot Plots, Histograms, and Box Plots

📊 Statistics & Probability

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Dot Plots, Histograms, and Box Plots

Choose the right display for your data — each tells a different story.

Different data displays highlight different features of a data set. A dot plot shows individual values. A histogram groups data into intervals and shows frequency (count) per interval. A box plot summarizes data using five key values (five-number summary) and highlights the IQR and potential outliers.

Dot Plot

Shows every individual data pointGood for small data setsEasy to see clusters and gapsCan find mean, median, mode visually

Box Plot

Shows five-number summary: Min, Q1, Median, Q3, MaxIQR = Q3 − Q1 (middle 50% of data)Good for comparing two data setsOutliers appear as isolated points beyond whiskers

Histograms work best for large data sets where exact values matter less than the overall shape.

\text{IQR} = Q_3 - Q_1 \qquad \text{MAD} = \frac{\sum |x_i - \bar{x}|}{n}

🏫Five-Number Summary

Data (ordered): 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15
Min = 2, Max = 15
Median (Q2) = 8 (middle value)
Q1 = 6 (median of lower half: 2,5,6,7)
Q3 = 13 (median of upper half: 9,12,14,15)
IQR = 13 − 6 = 7

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Remember This!

The MAD (Mean Absolute Deviation) measures average distance from the mean. A small MAD means data is clustered; a large MAD means data is spread out.

✏️ Try It!

A data set has Q1 = 10 and Q3 = 22. What is the IQR?

Practice with CalcVerse

📊Mean, Median & Mode 📊Histogram Builder

Take Quiz 📝 — 25 Questions