Every day, students collect, organize, and analyze data to make decisions. In this data-driven world, people need to assess how much trust they can place in summary statistics. The results of every survey and the safety of every drug that undergoes a clinical trial depend on the correct application of appropriate statistics. Recognizing the…

Mathematics teachers continually look for ways to make the learning of mathematics more active and engaging. Hands-on activities, in particular, have been demonstrated to improve student engagement and understanding in mathematics classes. Likewise, many scholars have emphasized the growing importance of giving students experience with the…

Presents an activity to help students overcome mathematics anxiety by collecting and organizing data through summarization and graphic representation. (MKR)

Presents an activity in which students gather and analyze data involving the compatibility of human blood types. Uses student surveys, Venn diagrams, and random numbers. Includes activity sheets. (Author/NB)

Presents a lesson involving the measurement of wood beams and the prediction and testing of their stress limits. Provides an example of a problem with multiple solutions, each with different consequences. (KHR)

An example of real-world data is used to introduce comprehensible and visual images of the data and their attributes and relationships. Stem-and-leaf plots, box-and-whisker plots, and scattergrams are used to encourage prompt recognition of data characteristics and to effect appropriate interpretations and inferences. (JJK)

A fairly traditional precalculus problem is modified to address some common concerns with the teaching of problem solving. Areas of problem solving which are illustrated include: posing the problem; modeling the problem; transforming the data; and examining the solution. (PK)