Probability and Data — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. On a line plot, three Xs sit above 4 inches. What does this mean?
A) Three measurements equal 4 inches
B) Four measurements equal 3 inches
C) Three measurements equal 7 inches
D) One measurement equals 4 inches
Three Xs above the 4 mark mean three separate measurements all equal 4 inches on the line plot.
2. Which is a leading survey question rather than a neutral one?
A) What is your favorite sport?
B) Don't you agree soccer is the best sport?
C) Which sport do you play most?
D) How many hours do you play sports?
The phrase don't you agree pushes the listener toward yes, making it a leading question rather than neutral.
3. A bar graph shows 18 cats, 12 dogs, 6 birds. How many more cats than birds?
A) 6
B) 18
C) 12
D) 24
Eighteen cats minus six birds equals twelve, the correct difference between the cat and bird bars.
4. Which sample best represents all 4th graders at a school?
A) Only students in one club
B) Only kids who walk to school
C) Only students with high grades
D) A random mix from every 4th grade class
A random mix across all classes captures the whole population fairly, giving a representative sample for the school.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. If a line plot shows 4 Xs at 5 cm, the total measurements at 5 cm is 4.
Four Xs above 5 cm means four data points all at 5 centimeters in the recorded data.
2. A survey with biased wording is called a leading question.
Leading questions hint at the answer the writer wants, biasing results compared to neutral wording.
3. A bar graph shows 25 red, 15 blue. The total is 40.
Twenty-five plus fifteen equals forty total items shown across both bars in the graph.
4. If 30 students were asked and 12 chose pizza, the fraction is 12 out of 30.
Survey fractions use the total respondents as the denominator, so twelve pizza picks out of thirty asked equals twelve out of thirty.
5. A sample that fairly reflects the whole group is called a representative sample.
Representative samples include the same mix as the larger group, giving accurate survey or study results.