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Line Graphs and Data Interpretation

5 min readGrade 6 · Data & Probability

A line graph shows how something changes over time: temperature through the day, stock price over weeks, or plant height over a growing season. The line connects the data points and reveals trends you can't see in raw numbers.

Parts of a line graph

An x-axis (horizontal) and y-axis (vertical), with labels and a scale. A title that describes the data. Points plotted based on the data. A line connecting the points in order. Sometimes multiple lines to compare sets of data.

Reading a line graph

Find a value: locate it on one axis, move across (or up), read the value on the other axis. Identify trends: is the line going up (increasing), down (decreasing), or flat (staying the same)? Find the highest and lowest points. Compare different lines if there are multiple.

Making predictions

If the line shows a trend (like consistently increasing), you can extend the line to predict future values. But be careful: real-world data is messy, and past trends don't always continue into the future.

KEY VOCABULARY

x-axis — The horizontal axis of a graph, usually showing time or one variable.

y-axis — The vertical axis of a graph, usually showing a measured quantity.

Line graph — A graph with points connected by line segments, showing how data changes over time.

Trend — A pattern in data: increasing, decreasing, or staying constant.