In this lesson, you have studied tables of data and graphs to determine whether or not they support given conclusions.

In a table of data, it is important to look for the following:

Statistical measures such as mean, median, or mode
Rates of change
Comparisons between numbers
Percent increases or percent decreases

businessman laughing at the data in a graph

In a graph, you can use the properties or attributes of the graph to help you analyze the information and decide whether or not a conclusion is valid.

What numerical values are represented in the graph?
What values are represented on each axis?
What is the data interval on each axis?

Knowing how to critically examine a graph will help you become a better consumer of data, since you will know how to look more closely at the numbers being portrayed in the graph to make sure that the conclusions are valid. You’ll never be able to watch the news, read the newspaper, or look at an advertisement the same way again!