Data
Analysis and Research Methods
Course Description and Syllabus
The Ruler Activity #3 -
Part 1, Activity 3
Key
Purposes:
- Students can list ways to control
variability in a process.
- Students can measure variability using
standard deviations.
- Students use the 68-95-99.7 rule for a
normal distribution.
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To see a Quick Time Movie of the Ruler Activity, Click the above image. File size may
be large, please allow enough time for the
download.
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Description:
The Ruler Activity asks
the question "Whose reflexes are best?"
Students are paired and the reflexes of each
partner are checked by dropping a ruler between
the fingers of the other partner to determine how
far the ruler falls before the partner catches it.
The students are encouraged to outline procedures
of the experiment before beginning it. How high
should the ruler be held? Should there be a verbal
warning? When should the measurement be taken,
below the finger, above, etc? Afterward they are
also encouraged to discuss possible sources of
variation that they observed during the activity.
The goal of the competition is not only a low
reaction time or distance, but also consistency,
thus motivating the need for introducing standard
deviation. Using the standard deviation to compare
the variability of two distributions is covered.
The 68-95-99.7 rule for normal data is also
covered.
Alignment
with Michigan Curriculum Framework:
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Mathematics
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Strand
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Standard
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Benchmark High School
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II
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Geometry
and Measurement
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3
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1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
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III
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Data
Analysis and Statistics
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1
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1, 2, 3, 4
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III
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Data
Analysis and Statistics
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2
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1, 2, 3, 4, 5
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III
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Data
Analysis and Statistics
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3
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2, 3, 4, 5
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IV
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Number
Sense and Numeration
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2
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4
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Science
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Strand
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Standard
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Benchmark High School
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English
Language Arts
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Strand
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Standard
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Benchmark High School
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Voice
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6
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1
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