Virginia SOL Math / Grade 4 / Probability & Statistics

4.PS.1

Line Graphs

What you'll learn

  • Formulate questions and collect or organize data over time
  • Represent data with line graphs
  • Analyze line graphs and answer questions about them

Words to know

Data —
information you collect
Line graph —
a graph that shows change over time with points and lines
Axis —
a number line along the side or bottom of a graph
Scale —
the amount each grid step stands for
Trend —
the general direction the data moves

Why it matters Line graphs show how something changes over time, like temperature during a day or plant growth over weeks.

Worked examples

Model ItI do

A line graph shows temperatures: 60 at 8 a.m., 68 at noon, 72 at 4 p.m. What is the trend?

Each point is higher than the one before, so the line goes up. The trend is that the temperature is rising through the day.

Try It TogetherWe do

Using those temperatures, how many degrees did it rise from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.?

The temperature went from 60 to 72. Subtract: 72 - 60 = 12. So it rose 12 degrees.

Now YouYou do

Between which two times did the temperature rise the most?

Find the difference between each pair of points and compare. Check your answer in the back.

Practice

Mastered 0 of 11

Warm-up

Ease in with the basics.

  1. 1.What does a line graph best show: change over time or parts of a whole?

  2. 2.What are the two number lines on a graph called?

  3. 3.If a plant is 2 cm on Monday and 6 cm on Friday, how much did it grow?

On Level

The core Quick Check from the book.

  1. 1.What does a line graph best show: change over time or parts of a whole?

  2. 2.If a plant is 4 cm on Monday and 9 cm on Friday, how much did it grow?

  3. 3.A line that goes down from left to right shows values that are doing what?

  4. 4.If each grid step is 5, what value is 3 steps up?

  5. 5.What are the two number lines on a graph called?

Challenge

Stretch your thinking.

  1. 1.A line graph shows sales of 20, 35, 30, and 50 over four weeks. Between which two weeks did sales rise the most?

  2. 2.On a line graph each grid step stands for 4. A point sits 6 steps above zero. What value is it?

  3. 3.A temperature graph reads 55 at 6 a.m., 55 at 9 a.m., and 55 at noon. What does the flat line tell you?