Start with the recap, study the fully worked examples, then use the practice problems to
check your understanding of Scatter Plot.
This page combines explanation, solved examples, and follow-up practice so you can move
from recognition to confident problem-solving in Statistics.
Concept Recap
A graph that plots pairs of numerical values as dots on a coordinate plane, revealing the relationship between two variables.
Each dot is a person (or item) plotted by TWO measurements - like height on one axis and weight on the other. Patterns in the dots reveal relationships: do taller people weigh more? The scatter tells the story.
Read the first worked example with the solution open so the structure is clear.
Try the practice problems before revealing each solution.
Use the related concepts and background knowledge badges if you feel stuck.
What to Focus On
Core idea:Scatter Plot organizes data so the right pattern is visible without distorting the counts or scale.
Common stuck point:Students often know a procedure related to scatter plot but skip the recognition step: Am I choosing or interpreting a display that matches the type of data and the question being asked? That leads to a calculation or graph that looks reasonable but answers a different question.
Sense of Study hint:Ask: Am I choosing or interpreting a display that matches the type of data and the question being asked?
Worked Examples
Example 1
hard
You plot daily ice-cream sales against day-of-year. The pattern rises through summer and falls in winter. Best description of the form?
Answer
nonlinear (cyclic/seasonal)
First step
1
The pattern repeats yearly.
See the full worked solution + why-it-works coaching
Setup·Key insight·Why it works·Common pitfall·Connection
A scatter plot of hours studied (x) vs exam score (y) shows points rising from left to right in a roughly linear pattern. Describe the association.
Example 3
medium
Given points: (1,2), (2,4), (3,5), (4,4), (5,8). Plot them and identify any outlier from the general trend.
Practice Problems
Try these problems on your own first, then open the solution to compare your method.
Example 1
easy
A scatter plot shows points generally rising from lower-left to upper-right. What trend does this show?
Example 2
easy
A scatter plot's points fall from upper-left to lower-right. What trend is this?
Example 3
easy
In a scatter plot, the explanatory variable goes on which axis?
Example 4
easy
A scatter plot of hours studied vs test score has one point far above the rest. What is this point called?
Example 5
easy
A scatter plot shows points scattered randomly with no slope. What does this indicate about the relationship?
Example 6
easy
Each dot in a scatter plot represents what?
Example 7
easy
Two scatter plots show the same upward trend, but one has points tightly along a line and the other widely spread. Which shows a stronger relationship?
Example 8
easy
Why is a scatter plot, not a two-way table, the right display for height vs weight?
Example 9
medium
A scatter plot rises steadily then the rightmost few points dip down, forming an upside-down U. How would you describe the relationship?
Example 10
medium
In a scatter of advertising spend (x) vs sales (y), points cluster tightly upward except one store with high spend and very low sales. How should you treat that point before drawing a trend line?
Example 11
medium
A scatter plot shows people's age (x) vs reaction time (y) trending upward. A student concludes aging causes slower reactions. What is the correct caution?
Example 12
medium
On a scatter plot, you swap which variable is on the x-axis and which is on the y-axis. Does the overall direction (positive/negative) of the trend change?
Example 13
medium
A scatter plot of points (1,3),(2,5),(3,7),(4,9) lies exactly on a line. What is the slope of that line and the trend direction?
Example 14
medium
A scatter shows two separate clusters of points, each flat, but the right cluster sits higher. Does the plot show a within-cluster trend?
Example 15
medium
Why might two variables with a real strong relationship still show a scatter with r≈0?
Example 16
medium
A scatter plot has points (2,10),(4,8),(6,6),(8,4). Describe the trend and compute the slope.
Example 17
medium
A scatter plot of points (0,1),(1,3),(2,5),(3,7) lies on a line. What is the y-intercept and trend direction?
Example 18
challenge
A scatter plot has 9 points on the line y=x for x=1…9 plus one point (5,50). Qualitatively, how does adding the outlier affect a least-squares trend line's slope and intercept?
Example 19
challenge
Two scatter plots both show r=0.7, but one has 5 points and the other has 500. Which provides stronger evidence of a real relationship, and why?
Example 20
challenge
A scatter of city data shows population density (x) vs commute time (y) with a clear upward trend, but the analyst wants to claim density causes longer commutes. Describe what additional non-scatter evidence would justify the causal step.
Example 21
easy
In a scatter plot, where do you plot a point representing (3,5)?
Example 22
easy
A scatter plot of hours of sleep (x) vs. test score (y) shows points rising from lower-left to upper-right. Trend?
Example 23
easy
On a scatter plot of car age vs. resale value, the cloud slopes downward to the right. What does this indicate?
Example 24
easy
A scatter plot shows points forming a clear V shape. Is this best described as linear or nonlinear?
Example 25
easy
On a scatter plot, the explanatory variable is height; what does each point's x-coordinate represent?
Example 26
medium
A scatter plot has points (1,2),(2,4),(3,6),(4,8). Describe the form and strength of the relationship.
Example 27
medium
Two scatter plots both look upward sloping. Plot A's points hug a line tightly; Plot B's points are wide. Which has a higher correlation?
Example 28
medium
A scatter plot shows a clear curve (parabola opening up). Is a straight line a good summary?
Example 29
medium
Plotting weight (y) vs height (x) for a class: most points cluster on an upward trend, but one outlier shows a tall, very light person. Should we ignore that point?
Example 30
medium
A scatter plot shows the cloud is widest at high x values and narrow at low x. What is this called?
Example 31
medium
A scatter plot of monthly sales vs. ad spend shows a clear upward trend. A new month falls far below the trend. Possible explanations?
Example 32
medium
Two scatter plots show the same data, but axes are swapped. Will the correlation coefficient change?
Example 33
medium
A scatter plot of height vs. shoe size for elementary kids shows two clusters. Why might there be clusters?
Example 34
hard
A scatter plot of midterm vs. final scores shows a positive trend but one student with low midterm and very high final. Describe the role of that point.
Example 35
hard
Data: (1,3),(2,5),(3,4),(4,8),(5,7). Describe the form, direction, and strength.
Example 36
hard
A scatter plot is built using log-transformed y. The original y vs x shows an exponential curve. Why use log?
Example 37
hard
A scatter plot shows random scatter around a horizontal line. Estimate r.
Example 38
hard
Predict the y at x=100 when your scatter plot data ranges from x=1 to x=20. Risky or safe?
Example 39
challenge
Data: (1,1),(2,2),(3,9),(4,4),(5,5). Identify the point that breaks an otherwise perfect linear pattern.
Example 40
medium
A scatter plot shows the relationship between age of a car (years) and its resale value (\$). The points slope downward from left to right. Describe the association and explain what it means in context.
Example 41
medium
A scatter plot of practice hours and free-throw accuracy has points clustered tightly around an upward-sloping line. Describe the direction and strength of the association.