Topics for the Week of October 28, 2008

On Tuesday we will be discussing the measurements of central tendency (mean, median, mode & range). We'll work on these skills through fun, in-class activities. We'll use the data we collect to reinforce how to make bar graphs and we'll also talk about other types of charts that help to make sense out of data.

On Thursday we'll continue to gather data and calculate mean, median, mode and range and we'll discuss what is the "right" number to describe a set of data. We'll also discuss what outliers are and how they affect our data sets.

We will also investigate the Electoral College and how we choose a president, and begin to answer the question, "Why is California So Important?"

Most of the follow-up assignments/activities will center around real-world data and situations. We will begin collecting survey data to see if we can draw conclusions.

Optional Extra Skill Work:

• Mean
  Pages 105-106 #'s 10-20 all, 27, 28
  
• Median, Mode & Range
  Pages 111-112 #'s 6-9 all, 11, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21

Optional Follow Up to M & Ms Activity
1) Research the actual distribution of colors in the "average" bag of M & Ms.
2) Research the history of the M & M -- have the colors you see in your bag always been there? If not, why and when did they change?
3) When was the M & M invented and why?
4) Did all your bags of M & Ms have the same percentage of each color? If not, then why would the actual number of each color be different in different bags?
5) Choose a different type of M & M (dark chocolate, peanut, peanut butter, etc) and calculate the frequency of each color, the fraction of each color, decimal equivalent & percent of each color. Are these percentages equal to the actual distribution of colors? If not, why not?