Tablet or Textbook: Mean, Median, Range, IQR & Histogram
📊 Tablet or Textbook? Comparing Test Scores Using Mean, Median, Range & IQR
In this real-world 7th grade math worksheet, students investigate whether students perform better when learning from tablets or traditional textbooks. Using test score data from two schools, they will calculate and compare measures of center (mean and median) and measures of variability (range and interquartile range) to draw meaningful conclusions about performance and consistency.
This engaging activity strengthens student understanding of data distributions, supports visual data interpretation through histograms, and aligns to Common Core standards related to statistical comparison of two populations.
🧠 What Students Will Do:
- Calculate mean, median, range, and IQR for two different test score datasets
- Complete a comparison table to analyze variability and central tendency
- Use histograms to visually compare distributions
- Draw informal inferences about student performance using tablets vs. textbooks
- Reflect on which group showed more consistency or higher scores
🎯 Skills Practiced:
- Computing measures of center and spread
- Interpreting data visually using histograms
- Comparing two populations using statistical analysis
- Drawing data-based conclusions in a real-world context
Learning Objective
Students will calculate and compare measures of center (mean and median) and measures of variability (range and interquartile range) for two sets of test score data. By analyzing and interpreting both numerical summaries and histograms, students will draw informal comparative inferences about the performance of students using tablets versus textbooks.
Randomization Available
This worksheet supports randomization. Each student may receive a different set of test scores for both schools. While the general patterns will remain consistent (one dataset more variable, one with higher median), the specific values and student responses will vary. All calculations, histogram analysis, and conclusions should be based on each student’s unique dataset.
💡 Tip: When assigning this activity to your classroom, you can optionally enable randomization to give each student a unique version of the problems. When you re-assign the same worksheet, each student will get a new set of questions, helping them master the content through repeated practice.
