“Look into the Future”
EXCEL/Prediction and Statistics


For this assignment, you will be using the “scientific method” to ask a question, make a guess on what you think your research will show, do the research, and finally compare your guess with the actual data. You will do this by producing data sets and a chart that hopefully shows how a random sampling of certain types of data can show a bell curve. You will create TWO data sets and TWO charts for this assignment.

Steps to follow:

1. Pick a research topic from the list below (or create your own with permission).
-SHOE SIZE of 60 6th graders. (Break at half-sizes)
-NUMBER of letters in both first and last names of 60 students.
-NUMBER on 120 dice rolls. (Use 2 dice, numbers from 2 to 16)
-HEIGHT of 60 Eckstein students (Break at the inch).

2. BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE, make a guess as to what you think your data set will look like. Write “Guess data” in cell A2 and then enter your headings starting in cell B1 and working to the right.


3. Make a COLUMN chart from your guess data and place it under the data set.


4. Next, collect your REAL data. You can count students in the room, but you also must use others outside the class.


5. Enter your real data into your spreadsheet in row 2, right BELOW the guess data. (Write “Real Data” in cell A3.) Now you must make a new chart with both your guess data and real data included.


6. Create and label three cells for the MINIMUM, MAXIMUM, AND AVERAGE numbers in your REAL data set. Put them ANYWHERE on the sheet.


7. Add a 4th order polynomial trendline to both data series on the second chart, so that you have two nice lines that show the curves and compare the guess data with the real data.