Grade: 6th

Subject: Library

1% 75 percent of teens age 12-17 use the internet.

True

False

1

2 People under 18 make up what percentage of the U.S. population?

A 10%

B 24.1%

C 29%

D 48%

3 9% of the U.S. population speaks English as their first language.

True

False

What percent of teens are either “indifferent,” “don't care,” or “care but don't take an active role” in being concerned about the effects of man on nature?

12.2%

50%

68.5%

95.3%

4

A

B

C

D

Male high school students in the U.S. have higher SAT scores on average than females.

True

False

5

Should you believe all statistics?

Let's take a closer look . . .

% 75 percent of teens age 12-17 use the internet.

True

False

2000 2009

What are other examples of data that would go out of date quickly?

CHECK FOR RECENT DATA

1950This statement was true in the year 2000!

7 People under 18 make up what percentage of the U.S. population?

10%

24.1%

29%

48%

USE GOOD COMPARISON DATA

A

B

C

D

The census is a sample of what population?

http://www.census.gov/

8 9% of the U.S. population speaks English as their first language.

Yes

No

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0226_040226_language.html

CHECK THE SAMPLE

9% of the world’s population speaks English!

9 What percent of teens are either “indifferent,” “don't care,” or “care but don't take an active role” in being concerned about the effects of man on nature?

A 12.2%

B 50%

C 68.5%

D 95.3%

MAKE SURE IT’S A RANDOM SAMPLE

http://www.stageoflife.com/TeensandNature.aspx

If this is a survey of teens that use the computer often, is there a chance this sample would be less likely to play outside? Would this change their views on the environment?

Sample: 30 students at Jefferson Middle School

Jefferson: 100%

Percent of Kids in Different Schools in

Champaign

Another example of a biased sample . . .

Is this a random sample?

Percent of Kids in Different Schools in

ChampaignJefferson: 30%

Franklin: 30%

Edison: 30%

Sample: 300Random: Yes

What kinds of places could you go to get a random sample of middle school students?

10 Male high school students in the U.S. have higher scores on average than females.

True

False

http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2009/07/more-on-the-male-female-sat-math-test-gap/

BE CRITICAL

In 2007 the SAT was taken by 798,030 females but only 690,500 males, a gap of more than 100,000 people. Assuming that SAT takers represent the top portion of the performance distribution, this surplus of females taking the SAT means that the female group dips farther down into the performance distribution than does the male group. It is therefore not surprising that females, on average, score somewhat lower than males. The gender gap is likely in large part a sampling artifact.

Who knows you best?

50% of girls . . .

90% of youth test scores

20% of white youth . . .

60% of teens like rap music