Maryland Math 7.DS.B.3.a
The Standard
- 7.DS.B.3
- Compare two numerical data distributions using visual displays and numerical measures to draw inferences about differences between populations.
Use histograms and other visualizations to describe similarities and differences in the range, shape, and clustering of the data sets.
Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for Mathematics (2025) · DESCRIBE, ANALYZE, AND COMPARE DATA USING VISUAL AND NUMERICAL REPRESENTATIONS TO MODEL SITUATIONS AND DRAW INFERENCES.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students read or make histograms for two sets of numerical data using matching bins. They compare range, shape, and clusters, and point to the bars that support their claims.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can identify which set has a wider range and describe any peaks or gaps. They use the raw data to find exact ranges instead of guessing minimum and maximum values from grouped bars.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may call the tallest bar the range or assume a bar shows every value in its interval. They may compare histograms with different bin widths without noticing that the widths change how the data looks.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Graph A = [2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7] and B = [1,1,2,2,3,3,8,8,9,9] using bins 0 to 1, 2 to 3, 4 to 5, 6 to 7, and 8 to 9. Give each range, describe each shape and its clusters, and name one bin that shows a difference.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Have students count pencil taps for 10 seconds with each hand, then pool results and build two histograms with matching bins.
Show two histograms of quiz scores with matching bins and ask, "Where do scores cluster, and which bars show that?"
Give pairs number cards and bin labels; have them sort the cards, sketch two histograms, and trade written comparisons.
Compare histograms of 20 bus wait times for two routes; choose the route with fewer long waits and cite the bins.
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Related Standards
- 7.DS.B.3
Compare two numerical data distributions using visual displays and numerical measures to draw inferences about differences between populations.
- 5.DS.A.1.b
Summarize data presented in scaled visualizations (e.g. bar graphs, circle graphs, line plots, line graphs) by identifying the mode, the range, and any gaps in ...
- 7.DS.B.3.c
Use both visual and numerical comparisons to describe how different the two groups are and whether the difference is meaningful in the context of the data.
- 7.DS.B.3.b
Use measures of center (e.g., mean or median) and measures of variability (e.g., range or interquartile range) to describe the size and significance of the diff...
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