Lesson 19Comparing Populations with Friends

Learning Goal

Let’s ask important questions to compare groups.

Learning Targets

  • I can decide what information I need to know to be able to compare two populations based on a sample from each.

Lesson Terms

  • interquartile range (IQR)
  • proportion

Warm Up: Features of Graphic Representations

Problem 1

Dot plots, histograms, and box plots are different ways to represent a data set graphically.

Which of those displays would be the easiest to use to find each feature of the data?

  1. the mean

  2. the median

  3. the mean absolute deviation

  4. the interquartile range

  5. the symmetry

Activity 1: Info Gap: Comparing Populations

Problem 1

Your teacher will give you either a problem card or a data card. Do not show or read your card to your partner.

If your teacher gives you the problem card:

  1. Silently read your card and think about what information you need to be able to answer the question.

  2. Ask your partner for the specific information that you need.

  3. Explain how you are using the information to solve the problem.

    Continue to ask questions until you have enough information to solve the problem.

  4. Share the problem card and solve the problem independently.

  5. Read the data card and discuss your reasoning.

If your teacher gives you the data card:

  1. Silently read your card.

  2. Ask your partner “What specific information do you need?” and wait for them to ask for information.

    If your partner asks for information that is not on the card, do not do the calculations for them. Tell them you don’t have that information.

  3. Before sharing the information, ask “Why do you need that information?” Listen to your partner’s reasoning and ask clarifying questions.

  4. Read the problem card and solve the problem independently.

  5. Share the data card and discuss your reasoning.

Pause here so your teacher can review your work. Ask your teacher for a new set of cards and repeat the activity, trading roles with your partner.

Are you ready for more?

Problem 1

Is there a meaningful difference between top sports performance in two different decades? Choose a variable from your favorite sport (for example, home runs in baseball, kills in volleyball, aces in tennis, saves in soccer, etc.) and compare the leaders for each year of two different decades. Is the performance in one decade meaningfully different from the other?

Activity 2: Comparing to Known Characteristics

Problem 1

A college graduate is considering two different companies to apply to for a job. Acme Corp lists this sample of salaries on their website:

  • $45,000

  • $55,000

  • $140,000

  • $70,000

  • $60,000

  • $50,000

What typical salary would Summit Systems need to have to be meaningfully different from Acme Corp? Explain your reasoning.

Problem 2

A factory manager is wondering whether they should upgrade their equipment. The manager keeps track of how many faulty products are created each day for a week.

  • 6

  • 7

  • 8

  • 6

  • 7

  • 5

  • 7

The new equipment guarantees an average of 4 or fewer faulty products per day. Is there a meaningful difference between the new and old equipment? Explain your reasoning.

Lesson Summary

When using samples to comparing two populations, there are a lot of factors to consider.

  • Are the samples representative of their populations? If the sample is biased, then it may not have the same center and variability as the population.

  • Which characteristic of the populations makes sense to compare—the mean, the median, or a proportion?

  • How variable is the data? If the data is very spread out, it can be more difficult to make conclusions with certainty.

Knowing the correct questions to ask when trying to compare groups is important to correctly interpret the results.