A printable 20-problem Thanksgiving statistics activity with tables, center, spread, outliers, displays, sampling, and conclusions.
Statistics is most useful when a calculation supports a claim. Students summarize community-meal data, examine how an outlier affects the mean, choose appropriate displays, and distinguish a sample from the population it represents.
When students compare groups, ask for a complete sentence containing both a statistic and its units. 'Group A is bigger' is not yet a statistical argument.
Use the event data to calculate summaries, build displays, compare groups, and support every conclusion with a number.
| Team | Meals packed |
|---|---|
| A | 42 |
| B | 48 |
| C | 51 |
| D | 55 |
| E | 55 |
| F | 60 |
| G | 64 |
| H | 105 |
Use the reference table above when provided. All questions and solutions also appear in the printable packet.
Calculate and interpret mean, median, and mode.
Use range and deviations to understand variability.
Compare summaries with and without an unusual value.
Choose and reason from appropriate visual representations.
Distinguish samples, populations, and possible bias.
Equivalent forms and clearly supported open-ended responses should receive credit.
1. 60 meals
2. 55 meals
3. 55 meals
4. meals
5. 63 meals
6. 50 meals above the median
7. 105; it is far above the cluster from 42 to 64
8. and
9. , or about 53.6 meals
10. No; the new median is still 55
11. Median; the outlier pulls the mean upward
12. meals
13. Plots vary but must include all eight values accurately
14. A dot plot; the data are separate team measurements, not change over time
15. Yes; it stretches the distribution to the right
16.
17. Team H is unusual and does not represent the other teams
18. Randomly select volunteers from every team, or use a stratified sample
19. About 75 volunteers
20. volunteers