Friday 24 Janua Ideas

ry 2025 Graph Skills

LO:
4 Graphs AQA GCSE skills
a Translate information between graphical and numeric
form

b Understand that y = mx + c represents a linear

relationship

c Plot two variables from experimental or other data

d Determine the slope and intercept of a linear graph

e Draw and use the slope of a tangent to a curve as a

measure of rate of change (chemistry and physics
questions only)

f Understand the physical significance of area between a

curve and the x-axis and measure it by counting squares
as appropriate (physics questions only)
Graphs: some key words
• Axes • Data sets
• Continuous • Points
• Discrete • Trends
• Categoric • Curve
• Variables • Multiple data sets
• Values • Line of best fit
• Units
Examples of variables: which
• Scale graph?
• pH
• Concentration
• Number of people
 Rules for graphs
• Use a pencil and ruler.

• Choose a sensible scale for each axis.

• Axes do not have to start at zero

• IV is always on the x axis, DV is on the y axis

• Label each axis, including units (in brackets)

• Plot the points carefully with a pencil.

• Draw a line/curve of best fit for a line graph

 Independent Variable
An investigation on how the temperature of water affects
the time a potato take to cook

IV – What you Change

DV – What you Measure
CV(s) – What you keep the
same
Dependent Variable
An investigation to find how current size affects a bulbs brightness

IV – What you Change

DV – What you Measure
CV(s) – What you keep the
same
Independent Variable

To see if plastic, metal or wooden cups

keep drinks warm longest

IV – What you Change

DV – What you Measure
CV(s) – What you keep the
same
Axes In general the independent variable is placed
on the x axis but the x axis can also be used to
represent time (seconds, minutes, hours, moths
years)

Control variables are never included on a

graph, they ensure that the results are valid
(that only the change in IV affects the
measurement of DV)
 Categorical data Continuous data

Categorical data is discrete and

can only be divided into
categories Continuous data can take any value
 Continuous Vs Categorical Data
Scale of measurement has Data is discrete which cannot be
meaning at all possible broken up into smaller divisions
points.
For example 7 girls in this class
For example we may have size 4 feet and 3 girls have
measure an experiment in size 5 shoes. We can’t use this
minutes but once plotted on data to find out the number of
a graph we can determine girls with a shoe size of 4.5
what would have happened
at 20 seconds etc.
What is the best graph to represent this investigation:

How does the temperature affect how tall plants grow?

height of plant
a. Pie graph
b. Scatter graph
c. Bar chart
d. Line graph
temperature
What is the best graph
Name to represent
Those Variablesthis investigation:

How does the number of batteries affect the

brightness of the bulb?

brightness of the bulb

a. Pie graph
b. Scatter graph
c. Bar chart
d. Line graph
1 2 3 4
number of batteries
 What is the best graph to represent this investigation:

How does the type of material affect how good it is at conducting

heat.

a. Pie graph
b. Scatter graph
c. Bar chart
d. Line graph

Conduction of heat

copper glass iron Type of material

 To ensure that points are plotted your graph needs to be drawn to scale:
Scal • Graph should be at least half the size of graph paper.
e • In exam questions, graph should occupy the entire space provided for a given
question.
Appropriate scale – improves accuracy of data that is plotted.
Too small – there is
For example: each sub division allows you to plot to a value of 0.5 (Y axis)
sufficient space to half whereas in the smaller graph each sub division only allows you to plot to a
the size of your value of 1.
intervals 30
25
20
30 15
20 10
10 5

2 4 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

Possible interval values you could use

• 1, 2, 5, 10 or multiples of these numbers (20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 etc.)
• Why is it not a good idea to 3 and multiples of 3 as intervals?
 Choosing a scale that is just right!
What is the value of each Consider your largest value for
sub division on the Y axis temperature (35) and the number of
when intervals of 5 are boxes that you have available (10)
used?
Intervals of 1 = 35 boxes
Intervals of 2 = 17.5 boxes
Intervals of 5 = 7 boxes
Temperature

Intervals of 10 = 3.5 boxes

Which scale would be
most appropriate for
the data provided?
Why?
Mini Whiteboard Activity: Sketch graphs
Sketch Graph: A line graph that shows the general shape of
the relationship between two variables
Voltage Across Resistor / V Current Through Resistor /
mA
0 0
1 50
2 100
3 150
4 200
5 250
Current

O
Voltage across resistor
Time / s Velocity of car / ms
0 50
1 40
2 30
3 20
4 10
5 0
velocity

O
time
Radius / m Power of turbine / kW

5 1
10 4
15 9
20 16
25 25
power

O
radius
Number of blades on Power of turbine / kW
turbine
1 10
2 20
3 28
4 30
5 25
6 15
power

O
Number of blades
Voltage across lamp / V Current through lamp / mA
0 0
2 10
4 18
6 25
8 31
10 36
current

O
Voltage across lamp
Area of base/ cm2 Pressure / N/cm2
2 100
4 50
6 33
8 25
10 20
pressure

O
area
Common mistakes made when
plotting graphs
Describing Trends in
Graphs
 B
Describe the trend A
C

Describe the effect of

temperature on the rate
of reaction. (3)

The rate of reaction increases as

temperature increases, up to 40⁰C, which is
the optimum temperature.
Beyond 40 ⁰C the rate of reaction decreases
as temperature increases.

When there are changes in the trend of a

graph, break it up into sections and
describe what is happening to Y with
respect to X in each section.
Answer on whiteboard
• 2.0 cm of string has a mass of 0.50 g

• What will be the mass of 2.0m of the same

string?
Answer on whiteboard
• 2.0 cm of string has a mass of 0.50 g

• What will be the mass of 2.0m of the same

string?

• What are the variables in this problem? (independent,

dependent, controlled???)
Answer on whiteboard
• The school dining room takes £420 on a day when 300
pupils buy lunch.

• What do you predict they would take if 600 pupils

bought lunch?
Answer on whiteboard
• The school dining room takes £420 on a day when 300
pupils buy lunch.

• What do you predict they would take if 600 pupils

bought lunch?
• What are the variables in this problem? (independent,
dependent, controlled???)
• When a resultant force of 3000N acts on a certain mass,
it accelerates at 0.052ms-2.

• What would you expect the acceleration to be with a

resultant force of 6000N?
Answer on whiteboard
• When a resultant force of 3000N acts on a certain mass,
it accelerates at 0.052ms-2.

• What would you expect the acceleration to be with a

resultant force of 6000N?
• What are the variables in this problem? (independent,
dependent, controlled???)
Takings in the school dining room
• Sketch a graph to predict how takings vary with pupils.

takings

pupils
Takings in the school dining room

• Show £420 for

300 pupils.
1260
takings
• Show your x3
/£
prediction for
900 pupils. 420 x3

O 300 900
pupils
Generalisations

• The variables are

and 𝒚 ∝𝒙
𝑦
• In 3 letters/symbols
How would you
describe the
relationship?
O

𝑥
Generalisations
=
• The values of are
and
𝑦 2
𝒚
• The values of are
and
×𝑛
𝑦 1
• Can you write an ×𝑛
equation relating O 𝑥1 𝑥2
the values to the 𝒙
values?
Inverse proportion: observing
patterns
Release the trolley and observe its motion
Add masses to the trolley , so that it is roughly
doubled.
What is the effect of this on motion?
Inverse proportion: observing
patterns
• A trolley mass 100g accelerates at 2ms-2
• What acceleration would you expect if the mass of the
trolley is increased to 200g and the same resultant force
is used?
Select the line of best fit

A B C
Select the line of best fit

A B C
Select the line of best fit

A B C
Select the line of best fit

A B C
Which graph shows a better line of best fit.

Dependant variable

Dependant variable
xx xxx
x xx x xx
x xx x x xx x
x x x x
xx xx
x x
x x
xx x
x xx
x x xx
x x
Independent variable Independent variable
Dependant variable

Dependant variable
xx xx
x xx x xx
x xx x x xx x
x x x x
xx xx
x x
x x
xx x
x xx
x x x x
x x
Independent variable Independent variable
Anomalies
An anomaly is a value that does not fit the pattern/
deviates from normal or expected

Circle and Ignore

Anomaly (Anomalous result) (Outlier)
Those which are not in keeping with the rest of the results or
pattern and should be excluded (does not follow any correlation
you have spotted)
 Directly Proportional Inversely
Proportional
Two variables are said to be in Two variables are said to be
direct proportion or directly inversely proportional if one
proportional if their ratio stays variable increases at the same
the same as they increase or ratio as the other one decreases.
decrease. For example, if when x is doubled,
y is halved, then y is inversely
For example, if when x is doubled proportional to x.
y is also doubled, then y is This is the same as saying that y
directly proportional to x. is directly proportional to
yx
y
 yx
Volume of baloon versus
temperature
10000

8000

Volume (cm3)
6000

4000

2000

0
20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
Temperature (C)
y
What was the population of Ireland in 1850?
Which of the following shows a directly proportional relationship?

Dependant variable
a

Dependant variable
b

Independent variable Independent variable

Dependant variable

Dependant variable
c d

Independent variable Independent variable

Which of the following shows a directly proportional
relationship?

Dependant variable
a

Dependant variable
b
Lin
al ea
i on r ne
port ga
pro tiv
ctly e
e
Dir

Independent variable Independent variable

Dependant variable

Dependant variable
c d
No
n- tive
Lin
osi
ea
r ,n a rp
eg ne
at Li
ive

Independent variable Independent variable

Which graph shows the relationship between
the length of time and the length of the
candle.

Length of candle

Length of candle
Length of time Length of time
Graph Skills –
Proportionality

yx

y = mx + c
Calculating the gradient of a Line
20
Draw a triangle on and note
down the change in the y
15 co-ordinate and x co-
ordinate

10
Gradient =
5
3
0 1
-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

-5
Distance Travelled
= area under graph

½ (30 s) x (20 m/s) (120 s) x (20 m/s) (30 s) x (20 m/s) ½ (30 s) x (30m/s)
300 m 2400 m 600 m 450 m
½ (20 s) x (30 m/s) (30 s) x (20 m/s) ½ (30 s) x (20 m/s)
Total = 4950 m 300 m 600 m 300 m
Percentage Difference
100

Fabric 80 78 75 72 70 69
Fabric 100 97.5 93.5 90
Percentage (%) %
Difference
(%)
78/80 x 100

= 97.5

75/80 x 100
0
Time (min) = 93.5 72/80 x 100

= 90