HOW TO DRAW A GOOD GRAPH

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HOW TO DRAW A GOOD GRAPH

• Eighth Grade Physical Science
• Franklin Regional Middle School
• Murrysville PA

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Materials That You Will Need

• The data from the lab you are going to graph.
• Graph paper
• Ruler
• Calculator
• Regular Pencil and Eraser
• Colored Pencils or Markers

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Getting Started

• Decide which way you want to put your paper
• Use a RULER to draw the x and y axes

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Put the Independent Variable on the Horizontal
(x) Axis

• Find the highest value for the independent
  variable
• Find the lowest value for the independent
  variable
• Subtract
• This is the RANGE for the independent variable

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Put the Independent Variable on the Horizontal
(x) Axis

• Count how many spaces are available going across
  the Horizontal (x) axis.
• Divide the RANGE by the number of spaces
• This is probably a decimal number
• Decide on how to count remembering the magic
  counting base numbers of
• 1,2,4,5

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Number the Horizontal (x) Axis

• Start with a convenient number that is equal to
  or slightly lower than the lowest number in the
  range.
• Put that number ON A LINE on the graph paper.
• Number the rest of the axis using the magic
  counting number that you selected.
• Numbers should be on lines.

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Label the Horizontal (x) Axis

• The axis should have a label that applies to all
  numbers
• The label has two parts
• The name - what was measured
• Time, Temperature, Mass
• The Units
• Minutes, Degrees Celsius, Grams

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Time in Minutes
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Put the Dependent Variable on the Vertical (y)
Axis

• Find the highest value for the dependent variable
• Find the lowest value for the dependent variable
• Subtract
• This is the Range for the dependent variable

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Put the Dependent Variable on the Vertical (y)
Axis

• Count how many spaces are available going across
  the vertical (y) axis.
• Divide the RANGE by the number of spaces
• This is probably a decimal number
• Decide on how to count remembering the magic
  counting base numbers of
• 1,2,4,5

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Number the Vertical (y) Axis

• Start with a convenient number that is equal to
  or slightly lower than the lowest number in the
  range.
• Put that number ON A LINE on the graph paper.
• Number the rest of the axis using the magic
  counting number that you selected.

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1
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Time in Minutes
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Label the Vertical (y) Axis

• The axis should have a label that applies to all
  numbers
• The label has two parts
• The name - what was measured
• Time, Temperature, Mass
• The Units
• Minutes, Degrees Celsius, Grams

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30
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Temperature C
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2
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Time in Minutes
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Plot the Points

• Plot each numbered pair from your data table
• If this is a multiple line graph make sure that
  you use a different symbol for the points for
  each line.

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Temperature C
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1
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Time in Minutes
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Connect the Points

• Connect the points with a smooth hand drawn line.
• DO NOT connect the points with a ruler unless
  they are ALL in a straight line
• If the points appear to be representing a
  straight line use a ruler to draw ONE straight
  line.
• If you extend the line outside of the data range
  make sure that it looks different from the part
  of the line inside the data range.

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30
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Temperature C
15
10
5
0
0
1
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Time in Minutes
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Key or Legend

• If this is a multiple line graph you will need a
  KEY or LEGEND.
• Each line that you draw should be a distinct
  color or pattern.
• The KEY or LEGEND should indicate what each color
  or pattern stands for.

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TITLE

• The title should be at the TOP of the page.
• The title should be descriptive enough to
  distinguish this graph from any other graph in
  your binder.
• A poor title would be Science Lab

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HEATING WATER
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Temperature C
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Time in Minutes
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Identify Your Graph

• You should identify yourself somewhere very close
  to the TITLE
• You should list
• Your Name
• The DATE of the Experiment or the DATE that the
  graph is due.
• Your Science Period.

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HEATING WATER
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Billy Bob Student Period 3 November 24, 2008
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Temperature C
15
10
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0
0
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Time in Minutes
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NEATNESS COUNTS

• You should do neat work on any graph.
• HINT Do everything in pencil very lightly so
  that you can erase.
• Using a pen to start with will only waste your
  time.
• After you have your graph drawn you can go over
  it with colored pencils or markers.

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HEATING WATER
30
Billy Bob Student Period 3 November 24, 2008
25
20
Temperature C
15
10
5
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Time in Minutes
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THE END