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Favorite Data Sets |
Here are some of the data sets we use in our CPTA classes at the North Carolina School of Science and Math. Many of them are in the textbook; others are from world almanacs, journals, or web sites. Please share your data sets with us. Send them to green@odie.ncssm.edu and we'll add them to this list.
1987-88 Chicago Bulls Basketball
1993-94 Chicago Bulls Basketball
This data set lists the total
number of minutes played and total number of points scored for
each player on the team.
Topic: outliers, comparing the median-median
line to the least-squares line.
Source: 1989 World Almanac and 1995 World
Almanac.
Monkey Tricks
Some handicapped people have access to trained
monkey helpers that can perform household tasks like switching
things on and off. This data set gives the number of tasks each
of nine monkeys can perform along with the number of years the
monkeys have been working with handicapped people.
Topic: calculating the median-median line by
hand
Source: Journal of Rehabilitation Research
and Development, Volume 28, No. 2; Spring 1991; pp. 91--96.
Airplanes
Number of seats, speed, flight length, fuel consumption, and
operating cost are given for 17 different airplanes that fly in
the U.S. Many pairs of variables have a linear relationship; some
do not.
Topic: strong and loose associations, linear vs.
curved relationships
Source: 1992 World Almanac and Book of Facts
Pharos Books, 1991, New York, NY, pg. 670.
Gestation Period and Average
Longevity
There is a loose positive relationship, with at least one
outlier. Average longevity is for animals in captivity.
Topic: outliers, loose associations
Source: 1997 World Almanac and Book of Facts,
p. 231
Sat Score and Percentage of
Students taking the SAT
1996 data is given for each state.
Topic: associations
Source:1997 World Almanac and Book of Facts
Light Intensity
A probe that measures ligth intensity was aimed at a light source
in a dark room. The light intensity was measured at specific
distances from the probe.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: Collected by a precalculus class at
NCSSM using a CBL and a calculator.
Triangles
A group of students collected data relating the length of the
side of an equilateral triangle with the area of the triangle.
The data was collected by drawing triangles on graph paper. The
students counted the squares on the graph paper to estimate area.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: Data Analysis National Council
of Teachers of Mathematics, 1988, p. 89.
Dog Food
The recommended serving size for dog food depends on the weight
of the dog.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: Alpo dog food bag
Planets
Planets that are farther from the sun take longer to complete one
revolution.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: 1997 World Almanac and Book of Facts,
p. 455
Radioactive Decay
Topic: curve fitting, exponential decay
Source: Collected in 1995 by Dot Doyle and John
Kolena, teachers at NCSSM.
Charitable Contributions
This data set gives the amount of money contributed each year to
charitable causes by individuals in the United States. The years
from from 1985 through 1995 are included.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: 1997 World Almanac and Book of Facts,
p. 713
Minimum Wage
This data set describes the Federal Minimum Hourly Wage rates
between 1950 and 1997.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: 1997 World Almanac and Book of Facts,
p. 170
Average Weekly Earnings of
Workers in Production
The data refers to private-industry production workers in mining
and manufacturing; construction workers in construction; and
nonsupervisory workers in transportation and public utilities;
wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate;
and services. The figures given are annual averages for weekly
earnings.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: 1997 World Almanac and Book of Facts,
p. 171
Median Cost of Houses
Data is from 1980 through 1994, for existing one-family houses
only.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Statistical
Abstract of the United States : 1995 (115th edition),
Washington, D.C., 1995
Annual High School Budget
Topic: curve fitting
Source: Lakeville Journal, May 9, 1991
Skid Length
The Highway Department uses a formula to determine how fast a car
in an accident was traveling based on the length of a skid. This
data was collected under controlled conditions (surface,
weather).
Topic: curve fitting
100m Women's Freestyle
This data set gives the fastest time in seconds for women's 100
meter freestyle during the summer olympics from 1912 through
1996.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: 1997 World Almanac and Book of Facts,
p. 860
U.S. Postal Rates
The cost of mailing a first class letter, from 1971 through 1995.
Topic: curve fitting
Source: U.S. Post Office
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