Stem-and-Leaf Plots

How to Read Them and Construct Them

A STEM-AND-LEAF PLOT THE DATA IS ARRANGED BY PLACE VALUE. THE DIGITS IN THE LARGEST PLACE IS REFERRED TO AS THE STEM

AND THE DIGITS IN THE SMALLEST PLACE ARE REFERRED TO AS THE LEAF (LEAVES). THE LEAVES ARE ALWAYS DISPLAYED TO THE

RIGHT OF THE STEM. THEY ARE USUALLY USED WHEN THERE ARE LARGE AMOUNTS OF NUMBERS TO ANALYZE, SUCH AS SERIES OF SCORES

IN SPORTS

53

1 2 3 62

0 1 2 3 4 5 8 91

0 0 4 6 6 7 9 90

LeafStem

1|3 = 13 hours

In this case, the stem is the tens digit of the numbers and the leaf is the ones digit.

Stem-and-Leaf Plot

53

1 2 3 62

0 1 2 3 4 5 8 91

0 0 4 6 6 7 9 90

LeafStem

1|3 = 13 hours

Example: The stem and leaf plot below represent the following set of numbers:0,0,4,6,6,7,9,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,18,19,21,22,23,26,35

In this case, the stem is the tens digit of the numbers and the leaf is the ones digit.

Example 2 TEST SCORES The table below shows the test scores earned by a class of middle school math students on a chapter test. Make a stem-and-leaf plot of the data. Then use it to describe how the data are spread out.

82 94 75 85 88 9093 80 58 77 86 9281 85 94 79 86 9387 93 96 80 82 76

Test Scores

Answer:

0 2 3 3 3 4 4 690 0 1 2 2 5 5 6 6 785 6 7 9 7

685LeafStem

7|5 = 75 points

EXAMPLE 3 YOU TRY

The number of books each student has at home is recorded. Make a stem-and-leaf plot of the data.Number of Books

38 46 16 2831 12 27 3249 33 12 3834 48 22 3629 47 41 2430 21 17 4013 32 15 3121 13 16 4333 30 25 2829 13 11 49

Number of Books

Key: 1 | 1 means 11

Answer

BELOW ARE LINKS TO WATCH MOVIES THAT SHOW YOU MORE ABOUT STEM-AND-LEAF PLOTS

•http://www.mathplayground.com/howto_stemleaf.html

•http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078804833/student_view0/chapter8/lesson3/personal_tutor.html

•http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/22957-discovering-math-stem-and-leaf-plots-video.htm

•http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/MathExtensions/datamgmt/teachers/orgdis/stmleaf.swf

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfFcQAaOg0I

BELOW ARE THE LINKS OF INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES WHICH HELP YOU TO CREATE YOUR

OWN STEM-AND-LEAF PLOT

•http://www.learner.org/courses/learningmath/data/swfs/3a_stem.swf

•http://www.learner.org/courses/learningmath/data/swfs/3a_order.swf

TEST YOUR SKILLS ON STEM-AND-LEAF PLOTS

http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078804833/student_view0/chapter8/lesson3/self-check_quizzes.html

http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/documents/1600_01.pdf

http://www.mytestbook.com/worksheet.aspx?topics=Stem%20Leaf%20Chart&subject=Math&grade=5&test_id=235

http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078804906/student_view0/chapter11/lesson7/self-check_quizzes.html