Lesson 1: Diving Into Statistics

The average is a descriptive statistic used to give information about a data set. The average is also called the arithmetic mean and can be calculated by adding up the values in a data set and then dividing by the number of values in that set. Are you ready to dive into the "mean" pool?

Doing the science

1. Start the Stats Entertainment Simulation by clicking on the "Sim" tab.
2. Click the "Diving Die" icon. In this part of the simulation you’ll make six dives. Your overall diving score will be the average of all six of your dives.
3. Adjust the "Number of Spins" and "Number of Twists" buttons to try to enter the water as cleanly as possible to receive the highest score.
4. Once you have adjusted the Number of Spins and/or the Number of Twists, click the "Dive" button to start your dive.
5. Note and record in Table 1 your score for dive #1.
6. Repeat steps 3 – 5 for your remaining five dives. Remember that you want to enter the water without making a large splash. Make sure to record your results in Table 1.
7. Add up your six dive scores and record their sum in Table 1. The Greek letter Σ is a symbol that represents the phrase, "the sum of the values."
8. Click the "Calculate" button to find your average dive score. Record this value in Table 1.