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Estimates and Averages October 5, 2015 (2.2 in your books)
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Meme Moment
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Accuracy vs Precision Accurate: close to the real answer Precise: close together Scientists want to be accurate AND precise !
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Estimates When we’re working with really big numbers, we often estimate instead of counting to save time Scientists do this too! Especially with measurements. o When we use a beaker, graduated cylinder, etc, we estimate between the smallest marks to get a more accurate number. 50 mL 100 mL 150 mL 200 mL 125 mL estimate – even though there’s no mark here!
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Averages When we have lots of estimates (or measurements ), we often want to find the average. The average is usually closest to the accurate (real) number. 3 Types of Averages Mean Median Mode
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Mean Most common type of average Mean: the numerical average of a set of data Math: add up all the numbers, then divide by how many Computer shortcut: =average(B1:B4)
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Median Often used in geography, etc. “Median income,” “median home price” Median: the middle number in an ordered set of data Math: Put the numbers in order, then find the one in the middle. If you have an even number, find the two middle numbers and divide by 2. Computer shortcut: =median(B1:B10)
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Median Math: Put the numbers in order, then find the one in the middle. If you have an even number, find the two middle numbers and divide by 2.
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Mode In French, “mode” means fashion! If it’s fashionable, lots of people have it Mode: the number that appears most often in a set. You can have more than 1 answer for mode. Math: have to look with your eyes Computer shortcut: =mode(B1:B10)
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Percent Error
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Anomalous Data Sometimes you make a data set and one number looks really weird This is anomalous data Anomalous data is useful – it can tell you if your equipment isn’t working right, or maybe you forgot to control for a variable If your averages and percent error are strange, look for anomalous data
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Questions Any questions about the slides? Any new questions?
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