Do you have big feet?

Downloadable versions of this activity are available in the following formats:

(RTFPDF)


Let’s ask this in a nicer way:

Image
Does foot size increase with height and do boys have bigger feet than girls?
Let’s use some data from Census at School to find out.

On page 2, there is a table using data on height, foot size and gender. These data were taken from 60 randomly selected student records in the UK database.

  • Draw a scatter graph with the X axis representing foot length and the Y axis showing height. (X scale from 14 to 30 , Y scale from 110 to 190)
  • Mark boys and girls with different symbols or in different colours on your graph.
  • Don’t forget to give a title to the graph and label the axes and add a key.

Graphic - Scatter graph of foot size against height

After admiring your handiwork try looking carefully at your graph and write a few conclusions.

  • Can you identify any students who have particularly big or small feet for their height?
  • Are there differences between boys and girls? What are they?
  • Do the taller students have bigger feet?
  • Is there positive, negative or no correlation?
  • Can you draw in a line of best fit?

Think of some questions of your own to ask as well.

Pupil no. Gender Height Foot
cm
1 F 160 25
2 M 111 15
3 F 160 23
4 F 152 23.5
5 F 146 24
6 F 157 24
7 M 136 21
8 F 143 23
9 M 147 20
10 M 133 20
11 F 153 25
12 M 148 23
13 M 125 20
14 F 150 20
15 M 183 28
16 M 184 25
17 M 125 18
18 F 140 20
19 M 170 27.5
20 F 168 25.5
21 M 131 23
22 M 149 23
23 F 156 21
24 F 130 19.5
25 F 142 22
26 F 159 24
27 F 145 21.5
28 F 162 25
29 M 149 22
30 F 169 24.5
31 M 126 20
32 M 150 24
33 M 170 26
34 F 141 21
35 F 123 20
36 F 122 19
37 M 125 20
38 F 133 20
39 M 165 25
40 F 131 20
41 F 134 17
42 M 158 25
43 F 170 25
44 F 125 15
45 F 135 21
46 F 138 19
47 M 134 20.5
48 M 145 22
49 F 171 25
50 F 181 24
51 F 139 19.5
52 M 147 25
53 M 134 19
54 F 164 24
55 M 127 19.5
56 F 138 23
57 M 180 24
58 M 159 26
59 F 151 23.5
60 M 165 29

How does this data compare with your own class data?

Reproduced with permission from CensusAtSchool – U.K.

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