Section 1-7Misleading Graphs and Statistics

Essential QuestionsHow can graphs be misleading?How is the use of the word “average” misleading?

Where you’ll see this:Insurance, business, advertising, market research

Misleading Data

Misleading Data

Data the tries to make an impression by skewing the actual information

Example 1Matt Mitarnowski’s Pizza Place says that they doubled the

sales of Fuzzy Jeff’s House of Pizza and Shecky’s Pizza Shack. They even created a chart to show this idea.

87

89

91

93

95

Matt Mitarnowski Fuzzy Jeff Shecky

Pizzas Sold

Example 1Matt Mitarnowski’s Pizza Place says that they doubled the

sales of Fuzzy Jeff’s House of Pizza and Shecky’s Pizza Shack. They even created a chart to show this idea.

87

89

91

93

95

Matt Mitarnowski Fuzzy Jeff Shecky

Pizzas Sold

What is wrong with the statement above?

Example 1Matt Mitarnowski’s Pizza Place says that they doubled the

sales of Fuzzy Jeff’s House of Pizza and Shecky’s Pizza Shack. They even created a chart to show this idea.

87

89

91

93

95

Matt Mitarnowski Fuzzy Jeff Shecky

Pizzas Sold

What is wrong with the statement above?Can you make a more accurate graph?

Example 1

0102030405060708090100

95 91 90

Matt Mitarnowski Fuzzy Jeff Shecky

Pizzas Sold

Edmodo Post

Find a graph online that is misleading. Copy and paste the link into a new post on edmodo (don’t

post one someone else already has). State why you believe it to be misleading. There are TONS of

graphs out there that are misleading!

Problem Set

Problem Set

p. 36 #1-19

“It is always easier to believe than to deny. Our minds are naturally affirmative.” - John Burroughs