When you have a set of data the first thing you need to do is to check it out and eliminate any obviously wrong or false data. This is called “Cleaning the Data”.

This resource from CensusAtSchool provides a...

The Nuffield Foundation provides this activity which students use to create spreadsheets that model what would happen to the temperature of the Earth if there were to be a sudden change in the amount of radiation entering or leaving the planet. Students then investigate polynomial and exponential functions to find...

The Nuffield Foundation provides this resource which shows students how, given a set of measurements along an irregular coastline, it is possible to approximate the area of land which is lost to coastal erosion over a period of time. Coastal erosion A - this activity uses the context of coastal erosion to introduce...

In this activity students are asked to test the statement: “It is very likely that the Arctic has warmed at more than twice the global rate over the past 50 years”

Students are asked to use an Excel spreadsheet to calculate averages, maximum values and minimum values and draw line graphs. Students use a...

From the Integrating Mathematical Problem Solving project by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI), this activity shows how compound interest can be calculated over different intervals. As the intervals get smaller and smaller, the total value approaches a limit. Topic areas covered are:
• Use of...

These two lessons use the context of the scoring system of Ultimate frisbee to help students see a real-life use of how spreadsheets and data handling can assist a sporting context.  

Lesson 1 shows...

This activity from the Nuffield Foundation shows students how to use a recurrence relation to work out how long it takes to pay off a credit card loan and how much it costs. They can use a graphic calculator or spreadsheet to do the working. After working through the given example, where a customer spends £1250 and...

This resource, from the Maths Careers website, contains data collected from 100 groups competing in a cube puzzle.

The information was collected as part of the Big Bang London Science Fair and includes a range of investigations to help explore the data. Areas covered include scatter diagrams, correlation,...

In this resource from CensusAtSchool, a set of data is presented with little background information. Students are invited, via a series of questions, to turn the data into usable, useful information applying both mathematical reasoning and use of statistical methods.

It encourages the use of spreadsheets as...

These supplementary materials for discussing data contain full colour versions of the graphs and diagrams for all the activities in the Discussing Data Activity Book. The graphs and diagrams are split into the six areas described in the book .

...

In this resource from stats4schools, students are asked to consider whether the popularity of getting married has changed over time. Students interpret a time series graph and answer questions on it and discuss qualities for a good marriage. They investigate further using the internet.

In this activity from stats4schools, students investigate the gender differences when it comes to household chores. Students interpret information from tables and graphs, manipulate data, research gender stereotypes and formulate arguments for discussion. They will need internet access to conduct their own research...

For the vast majority of people modern life is dependent on electricity. Researchers at the University of Oxford are looking into what we use electricity for and when, in order to ensure that in the future, supply meets demand at all times.  In this activity students...

This set of resources are based on Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BiFoR) work. The activities provide an innovative way to introduce the issues surrounding the estimation of biomass. For pupils aged between 11 and 14 there are engaging activities to introduce the concept of biomass and pyramids of biomass...

The worldwide statistics PowerPoint begins with a quiz regarding facts about the nations of the world. Students explore the data on the World figures spreadsheet to find the answers to the questions posed in the quiz. The presentation concludes by providing the answers to the questions and giving examples of...