Graphing Challenge!

This activity is designed to highlight the importance of graphing technique. Students should have brainstormed a list of qualities of a "good" graph before doing this activity.

Directions: You are a data analyst for the police department. You are not a chemist, and know nothing about Chemistry or Radiation. An unknown source of radiation has been discovered and needs to be identified, and all you have to use is the information in the graph below:

You also have the results of a 10th grade chemistry experiment involving Radiation. Using that as your "map," you need to identify the unknown source of radiation above.

It is important to remember that you know nothing about Chemistry or Radiation. You only have the graph from the Chemistry Class to base your guess on.

In this activity, we will look at the Chemisty Class's graph presented in different ways, and you will answer some questions designed to get you thinking about qualities of a "good" graph. Go through the questions below, using the accompanying links.

  • This is the most basic form of graph available. The students measured data, printed out the graph, stored it away. See the graph .
    • What makes this graph difficult to read?
    • How much use would it be to the data analyst trying to guess the unknown source?
  • Here is an improved form of the graph. See it.
    • What has been changed from the last graph?
    • How does this change make the graph easier to read?
    • How much use would it be to the data analyst trying to guess the unknown source?
  • View the next improvement of the graph and answer the same questions from above
  • Graph 4
  • Graph 5
  • Graph 6
  • Graph 7
  • Now that you've seen all the graphs, summarize the improvements made from the first to the last graph.
    • Which improvements seemed the most important?
    • At what point do you think the analyst would have been able to guess the unknown type of radiation?
    • What are some other possible improvements to the way this data was represented?

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Please note that all materials have been created by Mohan Karulkar and may not be reproduced without credit. Contact karulkar@uiuc.edu for information.