Line Graph Statistics Example 4

Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.

Example 4

hard
Two towns recorded their noon temperatures (°C) over 4 days. Town A: 18, 22, 19, 25. Town B: 20, 21, 20, 21. Both are plotted on the same line graph. Which town shows greater variability and how can you tell from the graph?

Solution

  1. 1
    Step 1: Town A's range is 25−18=725 - 18 = 7°C and its line segments are steep (large rises and falls). Town B's range is 21−20=121 - 20 = 1°C and its line is nearly flat.
  2. 2
    Step 2: Greater variability means more fluctuation. Town A's line graph has much steeper slopes and a larger range, showing greater variability.

Answer

Town A shows greater variability. Its line graph has steeper rises and falls with a range of 7°C, compared to Town B's nearly flat line with a range of only 1°C.
On a line graph, variability is visible through the steepness and frequency of the rises and falls. A line that fluctuates widely indicates high variability, while a nearly flat line indicates low variability. Comparing range and slope steepness helps quantify this visual impression.

About Line Graph

A line graph is a chart that uses points connected by straight line segments to show how a quantity changes over time or across a continuous variable. The horizontal axis typically represents time, and the vertical axis represents the measured value.

Learn more about Line Graph →

More Line Graph Examples

Example 1 easy

The table shows the temperature at noon each day for five days: Monday 12°C, Tuesday 14°C, Wednesday

Example 2 medium

A shop recorded weekly sales (in units) over 6 weeks: 40, 55, 50, 65, 60, 75. From the line graph of

Example 3 medium

A city recorded the average monthly rainfall (in mm) from January to June: 30, 25, 40, 55, 70, 85. B

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