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Primary Science · Year 6Chapter 1 · Working scientifically (Years 5-6)
Year 6 · Chapter 1

Working scientifically (Years 5-6)

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Name the changed variable, the measured variable and the fixed variables in a fair test
  • Plan a fair test that changes only one variable
  • Take repeat readings, find the mean, and spot a result that does not fit
  • Read a measuring cylinder to the nearest millilitre
  • Record data in tables and draw bar charts and line graphs with titles, labels and units
  • Use results to make a prediction, and say what a further test would check
  • Write a conclusion that matches the data, and say whether the evidence supports an idea

You should already know

  • Fair tests, and changing only one thing at a time (Year 5 Science)
  • Reading scales, and drawing simple tables and graphs (Years 3 to 5)

Where this leads

  • Classifying living things with keys (Year 6 Science, Chapter 2)
  • Every later Year 6 chapter uses these skills in its practical sections

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 2 science, Year 6. Content: WS1 plan different types of scientific enquiries, including recognising and controlling variables, WS2 take measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate, WS3 record data and results using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs, WS4 use test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests, WS5 report and present findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations, and degree of trust in results, WS6 identify scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWhat do we call a test in which only one thing is changed, and everything else is kept the same? Write the two words.
2
FWhich instrument measures temperature? Write the word.
3
FWhat is the unit of volume that we read on a measuring cylinder? Write the abbreviation.
4
FWhat do we call the total of several results, divided by how many results there are? Write the word.
5
FWhich type of graph is best for showing how a plant grows over several weeks? Write the words.
1.1

Planning a fair test

Year 6
WS1: plan different types of scientific enquiries, including recognising and controlling variables
Video lesson: Planning a fair testComing soon
Story. Aisha and Tom want to find out which paper towel soaks up the most water. Aisha says, “We must keep some things the same, or the test will not be fair.” Tom asks, “So what do we change?” Their teacher smiles and says, “Plan it carefully, and you will know the answer.”

In a fair test, we plan the test around variables. A variable is anything that could change in the test. There are three kinds:

A fair test changes only one variable. If we change more than one thing, we cannot tell which one caused the result.

beaker, towel and watersame towel sizeeach time (fixed)same amount of watereach time (fixed)the type of towelis what we change
A beaker of water with a strip of towel. The size of the towel and the amount of water stay the same. The type of towel changes.

Key ideas

  • A fair test changes only one variable.
  • The changed variable is the one we change on purpose.
  • The measured variable is what we measure to get the results.
  • The fixed variables are kept the same, so the test is fair.
Worked example 1.1.1
In the paper towel test, which variable is the changed variable: the type of towel, the amount of water, or the time the towel is left? Write the name of the variable.

Method. Find the one thing that is changed on purpose.

  1. List the three choices. The type of towel, the amount of water and the time are the three choices.
    three choices
  2. Pick the one we change on purpose. Aisha and Tom choose different towels to compare, so the type of towel is changed.
    type of towel
  3. Write the answer.
    the type of towel

Check. The water and the time stay the same for every towel. ✓

Watch out. The amount of water and the time are fixed variables, not the changed variable.

Worked example 1.1.2
Tom tests Towel A with 50 mL of water and Towel B with 80 mL of water. Is this a fair test of the towels? Write yes or no.

Method. Check how many variables change.

  1. Compare the two tests. Two things change: the type of towel and the amount of water.
    towel and water
  2. Decide. A fair test changes only one variable, so this test is not fair.
    not fair
  3. Write the answer.
    no

Check. Only the amount of water should change in a test of the water. ✓

Worked example 1.1.3
A fair test changes how many variables at a time? Write the number.

Method. Remember the rule for a fair test.

  1. Read the rule. A fair test changes only one variable.
    one variable
  2. Count the changed variables. Every other variable is a fixed variable, kept the same.
    one changed, the rest fixed
  3. Write the answer.
    1

Check. Every other variable is a fixed variable, kept the same. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: the variable you measure is not the same as the variable you change. In the paper towel test you change the towel, and you measure the water absorbed.

Exam tip

Exam tip. When a question asks for a fair test, name the changed variable first, then at least one fixed variable.

Try it (with your teacher, or a grown-up at home). Put three small squares of different paper towel, or three pieces of kitchen paper of the same size, into three dishes with the same amount of water. Keep the size and the water the same. Predict which towel will soak up the most water, then leave them for one minute and look. Write down which variable you changed and which you kept the same.

Exercise 1A  Planning a fair test

1
FWhich word means the thing we change on purpose in a test? Write the two words.
2
FWhich word means the thing we measure to find the result of a test? Write the two words.
3
FWhat do we call the things that we keep the same in a fair test? Write the two words.
4
FIn a test of paper towels, name one fixed variable. Write one thing.
5
FA fair test changes ___ variable at a time. Write the word.
6
FRuby tests two ramps. She changes the ramp and the car. Is her test fair? Write yes or no.
7
FSam drops a ball from different heights and measures how high it bounces. Write the name of the changed variable: height of drop, or height of bounce.
8
PSTom plans to test whether the amount of sunlight changes how fast a plant grows. Write one variable he must keep the same.
9
PSAisha wants to test whether the temperature of water changes how quickly sugar dissolves. Write the changed variable.
10
PSPriya writes: “I will change the type of towel, the amount of water and the size of the towel.” Write one reason her plan is not a fair test.
11
RExplain why a test with one changed variable is easier to trust than a test with three changed variables. Write one sentence.
12
RBo tests the same towel twice. First he uses 40 mL of water, then 50 mL, and he measures the water absorbed each time. Is this a fair test of the amount of water? Write yes or no.
13
RWorking scientifically. Design a fair test on how far a toy car rolls on different surfaces. Write the changed variable and one fixed variable.
1.2

Taking accurate measurements

Year 6
WS2: take measurements with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate
Video lesson: Taking accurate measurementsComing soon
Story. Tom measures the water soaked up by Towel A once, and gets 14 mL. “That is the answer,” he says. Aisha says, “One reading is not enough. Let’s repeat it three times and find the mean.” Their teacher nods. “Repeats show how reliable a result is.”

Accuracy means how close a measurement is to the true value. Precision means how close repeated measurements are to each other.

To improve accuracy, read the scale at eye level, use a suitable instrument, and repeat each measurement. The mean of the repeats is found by adding them together and dividing by how many there are.

A measuring cylinder shows its scale in millilitres. Read the bottom of the curve of the liquid, which is called the meniscus, with your eyes level with the line.

01020304050mLliquid level
A measuring cylinder with the liquid at 34 mL.

Tom and Aisha put the results of three trials into a table. Each mean is the total of the three trials divided by three.

TowelTrial 1 (mL)Trial 2 (mL)Trial 3 (mL)Mean (mL)
Towel A14151314
Towel B9101110
Towel C19182019

Key ideas

  • Repeat a measurement, and find the mean of the repeats.
  • The mean is the total divided by the number of results.
  • Read a measuring cylinder with your eyes level with the liquid.
  • A result that is far from the others may be an outlier, and should be checked.
Worked example 1.2.1
Read the measuring cylinder in section 1.2. The liquid is at 34 mL. Write the reading in millilitres.

Method. Find the level of the liquid on the scale.

  1. Find the scale. The scale on the measuring cylinder counts up in millilitres.
    mL
  2. Read the level. The liquid level sits at the 34 mL mark, with eyes level with the line.
    34
  3. Write the answer.
    34 mL

Check. Every small line on this cylinder is 1 mL. ✓

Watch out. Read the bottom of the curve, not the top edge of the liquid.

Worked example 1.2.2
Towel C was measured three times: 18 mL, 19 mL and 20 mL. What is the mean? Write the answer in millilitres.

Method. Add the three trials, then divide by three.

  1. Add the trials. The total of the three trials is 18 + 19 + 20.
    18 + 19 + 20 = 57
  2. Divide by three. There are three trials, so divide the total by 3.
    57 divided by 3 is 19
  3. Write the answer.
    19 mL

Check. The mean is 19 mL, and the three trials are close together. ✓

Watch out. Divide by the number of trials, which is three here.

Worked example 1.2.3
A pupil measured a stick four times: 42 cm, 43 cm, 61 cm and 42 cm. Which result is an outlier? Write the number.

Method. Look for the result that is far from the others.

  1. Compare the results. Three results are 42 or 43, which are close together.
    close together
  2. Find the one far away. The result 61 is far from the others, so it is an outlier.
    61
  3. Write the answer.
    61

Check. Check the 61 cm reading again, because it may be a mistake. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a single measurement does not show whether a result is reliable. Repeats show whether the readings are close together.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Always say how many repeats you made, and find the mean of the repeats.

Try it (with your teacher, or a grown-up at home). Measure the length of a pencil three times with a ruler. Read the scale at eye level each time. Write the three results and find the mean. Do you get the same number each time? Which result is an outlier, if any?

Exercise 1B  Taking accurate measurements

1
FLook at the table in section 1.2. How many trials did Tom and Aisha do on each towel? Write the number.
2
FLook at the measuring cylinder in section 1.2. Write the reading in millilitres.
3
FWhat is the mean of 9 mL, 10 mL and 11 mL? Write the answer in millilitres.
4
FWhat is the total of Towel A's three trials, 14 mL, 15 mL and 13 mL? Write the number.
5
FWhich towel has the largest mean in the table in section 1.2? Write the name.
6
FWhy do we repeat a measurement? Write one reason.
7
PSAli measures a stick three times: 17 cm, 18 cm and 19 cm. What is the mean? Write the answer in centimetres.
8
PSLeah says her three results were 20 mL, 21 mL and 30 mL. Which result should she check again, and why? Write the result.
9
PSThe liquid in a measuring cylinder is level with the third small line after the 20 mL mark. Each small line is 1 mL. Write the reading.
10
RTom says his result of 14 mL is accurate because he got 14 mL once. Is Tom right? Write no, and give one reason.
11
RAisha's three results are 9 mL, 10 mL and 11 mL. Tom's are 4 mL, 10 mL and 16 mL. Both have a mean of 10 mL. Who has the more precise results? Write Aisha or Tom.
12
RExplain why the mean of several repeated results is more useful than one result. Write one sentence.
1.3

Recording data in tables and graphs

Year 6
WS3: record data and results using scientific diagrams and labels, tables, bar and line graphs and models
Video lesson: Recording data in tables and graphsComing soon
Story. Mo has measured a bean plant every week for five weeks. He draws a table of the heights, and a line graph. “Why not a bar chart?” asks Priya. Mo says, “A line graph shows how the plant changed over time, so it fits better.”

Scientists record results in tables, so that data is easy to read. They show results in graphs and diagrams.

Every graph needs a title, labelled axes with units, and a scale that goes up in equal steps. The horizontal axis is the x-axis and the vertical axis is the y-axis.

05101520mean water absorbed (mL)14 mLTowel A10 mLTowel B19 mLTowel C
Bar chart of the mean water absorbed by three towels: Towel A 14 mL, Towel B 10 mL and Towel C 19 mL.
0510152025height (cm)week 1week 2week 3week 4week 5
Line graph of the height of a bean plant over five weeks.

The table records Mo's bean heights, from the line graph above.

WeekHeight (cm)
Week 14
Week 27
Week 311
Week 416
Week 520

Key ideas

  • Use a table to record data clearly.
  • Use a bar chart to compare separate groups.
  • Use a line graph to show how something changes over time.
  • Every graph needs a title, labelled axes, units and an equal scale.
Worked example 1.3.1
Mo wants to show the mean water absorbed by three different towels. Which graph should he draw: a bar chart or a line graph? Write the words.

Method. Think about what is being compared.

  1. Look at the groups. The three towels are separate groups, not steps in time.
    separate groups
  2. Choose the graph. A bar chart compares separate groups.
    bar chart
  3. Write the answer.
    bar chart

Check. A line graph would be used for the bean height over weeks. ✓

Worked example 1.3.2
Look at the table in section 1.3. How much did the bean grow between week 3 and week 4? Write the answer in centimetres.

Method. Subtract the earlier height from the later height.

  1. Read the heights. Week 3 is 11 cm and week 4 is 16 cm.
    11 and 16
  2. Subtract. The growth is 16 minus 11.
    16 - 11 = 5
  3. Write the answer.
    5 cm

Check. 11 + 5 = 16, so the answer is correct. ✓

Watch out. Growth is the later height minus the earlier height.

Worked example 1.3.3
Look at the table in section 1.3. How tall was the bean in week 5? Write the answer in centimetres.

Method. Find week 5 in the table.

  1. Find the row. The row for week 5 gives the height.
    week 5
  2. Read the height. The height in week 5 is 20 cm.
    20
  3. Write the answer.
    20 cm

Check. The line graph reaches 20 cm at week 5. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a bar chart without units, or a line graph with the axes unlabelled, cannot be read properly. Always write the units.

Exam tip

Exam tip. When you draw a graph, give it a title, label both axes with units, and use equal steps on each scale.

Try it (with your teacher, or a grown-up at home). Measure how tall a plant or a stick is each day for four days, using a ruler and a pencil mark. Write the heights in a table with one row for each day. Then draw a line graph with a title, labelled axes and units.

Exercise 1C  Recording data in tables and graphs

1
FLook at the bar chart in section 1.3. Which towel has the shortest bar? Write the name.
2
FLook at the bar chart in section 1.3. What is the mean for Towel A? Write the answer in millilitres.
3
FLook at the line graph in section 1.3. How tall was the bean in week 2? Write the answer in centimetres.
4
FHow much did the bean grow between week 1 and week 2? Write the answer in centimetres.
5
FBetween which two weeks did the bean grow most? Write the two weeks, for example week 1 and week 2.
6
FLook at the line graph in section 1.3. What was the total growth from week 1 to week 5? Write the answer in centimetres.
7
FWrite two things that every graph must have. Write two words.
8
FWhich axis of the line graph shows the weeks: the x-axis or the y-axis? Write the axis.
9
FIn the bar chart, the units on the scale are millilitres. Write the unit for the bar chart scale.
10
PSIn a bar chart, each centimetre of height stands for 2 mL. A bar is 7 cm tall. How many millilitres does the bar show? Write the answer.
11
PSMo draws the bean heights as a bar chart with week labels, but no title. Name one thing that he should add to the chart.
12
RSam draws a bar chart of the bean heights over five weeks. Explain why a line graph would show the bean growth more clearly. Write one sentence.
13
RLook at the line graph in section 1.3. The bean grew 5 cm in one week. Which week was it, and which weeks did it grow between? Write the weeks.
14
RChallenge: a teacher says a graph with a title but no units is complete. Is she right? Write no, and give one reason.
1.4

Predictions and further tests

Year 6
WS4: use test results to make predictions and to set up further comparative and fair tests
Video lesson: Predictions and further testsComing soon
Story. The bean plant grew 4 cm in the last week. Mo says, “If it keeps growing like this, it will be 24 cm in week 6.” Priya says, “Let’s check it next week, and then test whether it is true.”

A prediction is a sensible guess based on evidence. We use patterns in results to predict what might happen next. A prediction is not proof, so we test it.

A further test checks an idea or repeats a result with a new change. It uses the same method as the first test, with one new changed variable.

0510152025height (cm)week 1week 2week 3week 4week 5
Line graph of bean height. The graph shows a steady rise each week, so a prediction can be made from it.

Key ideas

  • A prediction uses evidence and a pattern in the results.
  • A prediction is tested; it is not proof.
  • A further test changes one variable, and keeps the rest the same.
  • Repeat the test to see whether the result happens again.
Worked example 1.4.1
Towel C absorbed the most water in the first test. Predict which towel will absorb the most water if all three towels are tested again with 60 mL of water. Write the name of the towel.

Method. Use the pattern from the first test.

  1. Read the evidence. In the first test Towel C had the largest mean, 19 mL.
    19 mL
  2. Make the prediction. If the same pattern holds, Towel C would absorb the most again.
    Towel C
  3. Write the answer.
    Towel C

Check. The prediction should be tested, because the amount of water is different. ✓

Worked example 1.4.2
The bean is 20 cm tall in week 5. If it grows 4 cm more in week 6, predict its height in week 6. Write the answer in centimetres.

Method. Add the growth to the height at the start.

  1. Start from week 5. The bean is 20 cm in week 5.
    20 cm
  2. Add the growth. If it grows 4 cm more, the height is 20 + 4.
    20 + 4 = 24
  3. Write the answer.
    24 cm

Check. The prediction uses the growth as the pattern, and then the next week will test it. ✓

Worked example 1.4.3
A further test checks whether the amount of water changes the result for Towel A. Write the changed variable.

Method. Find the thing that changes in the further test.

  1. Read the plan. The further test changes the amount of water.
    amount of water
  2. Name the variable. So the changed variable is the amount of water.
    amount of water
  3. Write the answer.
    the amount of water

Check. The towel, and the time, stay the same. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a prediction is an idea to test. If the results do not match it, the prediction was not supported, and we should say so.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Make a prediction using the evidence, and say which pattern in the results you used.

Try it (with your teacher, or a grown-up at home). Put one plant or one bean seed in a dish of damp cotton wool, and predict how many days it takes to start to sprout. Check every day for a week, and write down what you see. Did the result support your prediction?

Exercise 1D  Predictions and further tests

1
FThe bean grows 4 cm in week 6. How tall is it at the end of week 6? Write the answer in centimetres.
2
FIn a new test, which towel is most likely to absorb the most water? Write the name, using the first test.
3
FA prediction is based on what? Write one word.
4
FIn a further test on the bean, we change the amount of sunlight. Write one variable that must stay the same.
5
FHow many repeats is a good number to use in a further test? Write 1, 3 or 5.
6
PSTom predicts that Towel B will absorb more water than Towel A. The results show that Towel A absorbs more. Do the results support Tom's prediction? Write yes or no.
7
PSThe bean grows 5 cm each week from week 5 onwards. Predict its height in week 7. Write the answer in centimetres.
8
PSDesign a further test to see whether the size of a paper towel changes how much water it absorbs. Write the changed variable.
9
PSRuby thinks that warm water makes a towel absorb more water. Write the changed variable for a test of her idea.
10
RExplain why a further test should use the same method as the first test. Write one sentence.
11
RAli says that a prediction proves his idea is correct. Is Ali right? Write no, and give one reason.
12
RChallenge: the bean stops getting water after week 5. Predict what happens to its growth, and give a reason. Write one sentence.
1.5

Conclusions, evidence and trust

Year 6
WS5: report and present findings, including conclusions, causal relationships and degree of trust in results, WS6: identify scientific evidence used to support or refute ideas or arguments
Video lesson: Conclusions, evidence and trustComing soon
Story. Tom says, “Towel C is the best because it is the most expensive.” Aisha says, “Let’s look at the evidence from our test.” “The evidence should decide,” says their teacher, “not what we think already.”

A conclusion is a short statement that answers the question of the test, and matches the results. It should say what the results show, and no more.

A causal relationship means that one thing causes a change in another. A fair test with one changed variable helps us show a causal relationship. One set of results does not always prove a cause.

Evidence from tests can support an idea, or refute it, which means show that it is wrong. How much we trust results depends on how many repeats there were, how close they are to each other, and how fair the test was.

05101520mean water absorbed (mL)14 mLTowel A10 mLTowel B19 mLTowel C
The mean water absorbed by three towels, from the first test: Towel C absorbed the most.

Key ideas

  • A conclusion must match the results.
  • A fair test helps us show that one variable caused a change.
  • Evidence can support an idea, or refute it.
  • We trust results more when there are repeats, and the repeats are close together.
Worked example 1.5.1
From the paper towel test, which towel absorbed the most water on average? Write the name of the towel as the conclusion.

Method. Use the means to write the conclusion.

  1. Read the means. Towel A has 14 mL, Towel B has 10 mL and Towel C has 19 mL.
    14, 10, 19
  2. Write the conclusion. The largest mean is for Towel C.
    Towel C
  3. Write the answer.
    Towel C

Check. The conclusion matches the data in the table. ✓

Worked example 1.5.2
Tom says Towel C is the best because it is the most expensive. Does the test data support this idea? Write supports or does not support.

Method. Check the idea against the data.

  1. Read the idea. Tom's idea is about cost, but the test measured the water absorbed.
    cost
  2. Decide. The test data says nothing about cost, so it does not support his idea.
    does not support
  3. Write the answer.
    does not support

Check. The data shows absorbency, not price. ✓

Worked example 1.5.3
Towel B was tested three times: 9 mL, 10 mL and 11 mL. Are these results close together? Write yes or no.

Method. Look at how far apart the results are.

  1. Find the range. The highest result is 11 mL and the lowest is 9 mL, so the range is 2 mL.
    11 - 9 = 2
  2. Decide. A range of 2 mL is small, so the results are close together.
    close together
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. Close results make the test more trustworthy. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a conclusion should not claim more than the data shows. Use the words the results support, and do not add a reason that was not tested.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Write a conclusion that answers the question, matches the data, and uses the numbers from the results.

Try it (with your teacher, or a grown-up at home). Test two kinds of dry kitchen paper, using the same amount of water, the same size of paper and the same time. Repeat three times each. Write a conclusion that matches your results. Say whether the evidence supports the idea that one paper is better, and how sure you are.

Exercise 1E  Conclusions, evidence and trust

1
FThe bean grew most between two weeks. Write the conclusion, using the weeks: between which two weeks did the bean grow most?
2
FDoes Towel C absorb more water than Towel A on average? Write yes or no.
3
FTowel C's three trials were 18 mL, 19 mL and 20 mL. What is the range of these results, in millilitres? Write the number.
4
FDoes one set of results always prove what causes a change? Write yes or no.
5
FIs three trials more reliable than one trial? Write yes or no.
6
FWhat do we call evidence that shows an idea is wrong? Write one word.
7
FWhich word means that one thing causes a change in another? Write the two words.
8
PSRuby says the bean grew more in week 4 because the sun was out that week. Write one better way to test this idea.
9
PSTom says Towel C is the best because it is the most expensive. Write whether the test data supports this idea: supports or does not support.
10
PSWrite one way to make the paper towel test more reliable. Write one way.
11
PSThe mean water absorbed by Towel A is 14 mL and by Towel B is 10 mL. How much more water does Towel A absorb on average? Write the answer in millilitres.
12
RExplain how a conclusion must match the results. Write one sentence.
13
RA test of a towel's size gives these results: 2 cm wide absorbs 3 mL, 4 cm absorbs 6 mL and 6 cm absorbs 9 mL. Write a conclusion that matches these results.
14
RChallenge: evaluate the paper towel test. Name one weakness in the method and one change to fix it. Write one sentence.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
Fair testsChange only one variable on purpose. Keep the fixed variables the same. Measure the measured variable.
Accuracy and precisionRepeat measurements and take the mean. Close repeats are precise. Read scales carefully.
Tables and graphsRecord results in a table. Use bar charts for groups and line graphs for change over time. Label axes with units.
PredictionsUse the pattern in the evidence to predict. Test the prediction with a further test.
Conclusions and evidenceWrite a conclusion that matches the data. Evidence can support or refute an idea. Trust results with repeats.

Can you…?

  • I can name the changed, measured and fixed variables in a fair test
  • I can plan a fair test that changes only one variable
  • I can take repeat readings, find the mean, and spot an outlier
  • I can read a measuring cylinder to the nearest millilitre
  • I can choose a bar chart or a line graph, and label it fully
  • I can make a prediction from results, and say what a further test would check
  • I can write a conclusion that matches the data, and say whether evidence supports an idea

Key terms

fair test
a test in which only one variable is changed and the others are kept the same
changed variable
the one thing we change on purpose in a test
measured variable
the thing we measure to get the results
fixed variables
the things that are kept the same in a fair test
accuracy
how close a measurement is to the true value
precision
how close repeated measurements are to each other
mean
the total of several results divided by the number of results
outlier
a result that is far from the others and should be checked
prediction
a sensible guess, based on evidence, about what will happen
evidence
information from tests or observations that can support or refute an idea
causal relationship
when one thing causes a change in another
conclusion
a short statement that answers the question of a test, and matches the results

Exercise 1Z  Check-up

1
Name the changed variable and the measured variable in the paper towel test. Write the two names as: changed, measured.
2
A fair test changes how many variables? Write the number.
3
What is the mean of 19, 18 and 20? Write the answer.
4
A measuring cylinder has the liquid level at the 40 mL mark. Write the reading in millilitres.
5
Which graph suits a comparison of three separate towels: a bar chart or a line graph? Write the words.
6
The bean is 11 cm in week 3 and 16 cm in week 4. How much did it grow? Write the answer in centimetres.
7
Mo predicts the bean will be 24 cm in week 6, because it grows 4 cm each week. Is this a prediction or a measurement? Write prediction or measurement.
8
Why is a further test needed to check a prediction? Write one sentence.
9
Which result is an outlier in 42, 43, 61 and 42? Write the number.
10
Explain why repeats of a measurement help us trust the result. Write one sentence.

Total 16 marks. Allow about 16 minutes.

Exercise 1X  Practice test questions

1
FA class tests three towels. Each towel is given 50 mL of water, and the same size of towel is used. The water absorbed is measured. Write the changed variable in this test.[1 mark]
2
RA student tests the same towel with 40 mL of water and then with 60 mL of water. Write the reason this test is fair for the amount of water. Write one reason.[1 mark]
3
PSA pupil measures a rope three times: 120 cm, 121 cm and 122 cm. Calculate the mean length, and write the answer in centimetres.[2 marks]
4
PSThe table shows the height of a plant each week: week 1 is 3 cm, week 2 is 6 cm, week 3 is 10 cm and week 4 is 13 cm. Between which two weeks did the plant grow the most? Write the two weeks.[2 marks]
5
PSA bar chart has a scale where each centimetre stands for 5 mL. One bar is 6 cm tall. Write the volume the bar shows, in millilitres.[2 marks]
6
RA student says: “Our test shows that a warm towel absorbs more water.” The student tested only one warm towel and one cold towel, once each. Give one reason why the evidence is not strong enough. Write one sentence.[2 marks]
7
PSA scientist predicts that a plant will grow 3 cm each week. The plant is 10 cm tall at the start. Write the height the plant is predicted to reach after 4 weeks, in centimetres.[2 marks]
8
FFive students measure the same stick. Their results are 40 cm, 41 cm, 41 cm, 40 cm and 58 cm. Write the result that is an outlier.[1 mark]
9
RA student plans a test on how far a toy car rolls. The student changes the surface, and also the ramp height. Write the reason the test is not fair.[2 marks]
10
FA table records the mean water absorbed: Towel A 14 mL, Towel B 10 mL, Towel C 19 mL. Write a conclusion that matches the data. Write the name of the towel that absorbed the most.[1 mark]
Chapter 2: Classifying living things →

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