Dot plot — Grade 6 Math, what it means and where it is taught
A chart with one dot per value, stacked above a number line.
Taught in Grade 6 Math.
Where it is taught
What it rests on
Work through these first if this one does not settle.
- Number line — A line with numbers increasing to the right.
Practise this idea
6 questions in the course bank use Dot plot, in Statistics: Centre, Spread & Displays, Statistical Questions & Distributions.
Problem 1
Which display best compares three groups at once?
- Side-by-side box plots
- A single dot plot
- A pie chart
- A scatter plot
Worked answer
Side-by-side box plots
Box plots show the five-number summary
Placing them side by side compares groups directly
Problem 2
A dot plot has dots stacked as 2, 5, 9, 5, 2. How many values are there altogether?
Worked answer
23
2+5+9+5+2 = 23
Problem 3
Which chart shows every single data value?
- A dot plot
- A histogram
- A pie chart
- A bar chart
Worked answer
A dot plot
Nothing is grouped away
Problem 4
A dot plot runs from 4 to 19. Find the range.
Worked answer
15
19 - 4 = 15
Problem 5
A dot plot of heights has two separate humps. This most likely means
- two different groups are mixed together
- the data is wrong
- everyone is the same height
- there are no outliers
Worked answer
two different groups are mixed together
Perhaps two different age groups
Problem 6
In a dot plot, 4 students have 0 pets, 6 have 1, and 2 have 3. How many students were asked?
Worked answer
12
4+6+2 = 12