These two handouts were designed for to explore the idea that context and interpretation matter when it comes to analyzing data and using it to make choices.

The first activity has students using the above data to make an argument about which of Malaika’s commutes is longer – her trip to work or her trip back home – or whether they are the same. Depending on what is important to each student, the answer can vary. Both commutes take 100 minutes for the week. Her average commute time for both is 20 minutes. But her to work times are lower, except for Thursday. 16 is the mode. Her four shortest commute times all happen on her way to work. It once took her 37 minutes to get to work, which is 15 minutes longer than her longest commute to her home. There are arguments for all three answers, and that is the point.

For the second activity students use the same commute time data to make an argument for how much time Malaika should give herself to get to work and how much time she should give herself to get back home. Again, there is not a single correct answer, but students can use various tools of data analysis to make their argument.