In this lesson, students are introduced to histograms. They learn that, like a dot plot, a histogram can be used to show the distribution of a numerical data set, but unlike a dot plot, a histogram shows the frequencies of groups of values, rather than individual values. Students analyze the structures of dot plots and histograms displaying the same data sets and determine what information is easier to understand from each type of display (MP7). Students read and interpret histograms in context (MP2) to prepare them to create a histogram.

Then students create, read, and interpret histograms in situations (MP2). They characterize the distribution displayed in a histogram in terms of its shape and spread, and identify a measurement that is typical for the data set by looking for the center in a histogram (MP7). Students also use histograms to make comparisons and to better understand what different spreads and values of center mean in a given context.