Introduction to Graphs:

Interpret Graphs of a Coordinate System

Once you understand how to read and plot points on a coordinate system, you have the tools to start interpreting data. Data is used in every industry when making decisions. It is very important for us to know how to understand data. The following videos demonstrate interpreting data from a graph.

Video Source (03:52 mins) | Transcript

Video Source (04:22 mins) | Transcript

Pay attention to the axis labels. These are the labels on the x and y-axis. They tell you what the data means and the units the data is using.

Practice Problems

Use the following graph to answer questions 1 through 5.

This is a graph that shows information about various spices for sale at a market. The x axis is labeled from zero to eight which represents the amount per container in ounces and the y axis is labeled from zero to 10 which represents the price per container in dollars. The points on the graph are Thyme at (0.25, 3), Oregano at (0.75, 5), Sage at (0.5, 8), Nutmeg at (1.25, 9), Cinnamon at (2.25, 3), Salt at (5, 0.75), Garlic Salt at (5.5, 7.5), and Black Pepper at (7.5, 8).

This graph shows information about various bottles of spices for sale at a market. The x-axis gives the amount of the spice in the container (in ounces) and the y-axis gives the price of the container.

  1. Which of these spices comes in a container with the lowest number of ounces?
    1. Thyme
    2. Salt
    3. Sage
    4. Black Pepper
    5. Nutmeg

  2. Which of the spices has the highest price per container?
    1. Thyme
    2. Salt
    3. Sage
    4. Black Pepper
    5. Nutmeg

  3. Which spice is shown at the point (0.75, 5)?
    1. Salt
    2. Oregano
    3. Black Pepper
    4. Cinnamon

  4. What is the price of a container of garlic salt at this market (in dollars)?

  5. How many ounces are there in the container of cinnamon sold at this market?

Solutions

  1. Thyme (Written Solution)
  2. Nutmeg
  3. Oregano
  4. About $7.50 (Written Solution)
  5. About 2.25