← Back to the Scatter Plots worksheet
Last updated: October 22, 2026 · Written by the Math Made Easy math teachers
Standards: 8.SP.A.1 · Level: Grade 8
Problem 1 Choose the axis
The variable that might influence the other goes on the x-axis. Rehearsal time could affect forgotten lines, not the reverse.
Hours rehearsed
Problem 2 Plot a table
Ordered pairs: (1, 600), (2, 520), (3, 430), (4, 350), (5, 260).
The points fall from left to right and stay close to a line.
Negative linear association
Problem 3 Describe in words
One variable goes up while the other goes down.
Negative association
Problem 4 Read a rising plot
The points go up from left to right and stay near a straight line.
Positive linear association
Problem 5 No association
Daylight and temperature are related, and so are age and price. A locker digit has nothing to do with shoe size.
(b)
Problem 6 Find the outlier
Five of the points follow the pattern y = 2x + 1. At x = 5 the pattern gives 11, but the data show 25.
The outlier is (5, 25)
Problem 7 Two groups
One cluster sits near heights of 4 to 6 inches and weights of 10 to 14 pounds. A second cluster sits near heights of 14 to 17 inches and weights of 58 to 74 pounds. There is a large gap between them.
Overall the points rise.
Two clusters (small dogs and large dogs); positive association
Problem 8 Falling with spread
The points fall from left to right and follow a line loosely, with some up-and-down spread.
Moderate negative linear association
Problem 9 Doubling table
Each y doubles. The increases are 1, 2, 4, 8, which keep growing, so the points curve upward instead of lying near a line.
Nonlinear (positive association)
Problem 10 Spot the stray point
Eight points rise steadily along a line. The point at 4 weeks with 52 books is far above the others.
Outlier (4, 52); the rest show positive linear association
Problem 11 Build a scatter plot
Plot each pair with months on the horizontal axis and pounds on the vertical axis.
The points rise and stay near a line.
Positive linear association
Problem 12 Strong or weak
In plot A the points lie close to a rising line. In plot B they bounce up and down with no clear pattern.
Plot A shows the stronger association (positive linear); plot B shows little or none
Problem 13 Curved description
The points go down, so the association is negative. They follow a curve that flattens, not a line.
Negative nonlinear association
Problem 14 Effect of an outlier
The 11 other points rise steadily. The point (6, 20) lies far below the line and makes the pattern look weaker.
Check whether it is a recording error or a real case, such as a student who was sick during the test, before deciding to set it aside.
The outlier weakens the apparent association; investigate it before excluding it
Problem 15 Lemonade stand
Plot temperature across the bottom and cups up the side.
Eight points rise along a line. The point (81, 150) is far above the pattern; a school fair or a special event could explain the extra sales.
Positive linear association with the outlier (81, 150)
Problem 16 Game downloads
Downloads fall every month, so the association is negative. The drops shrink from 280 to 180 to 120 to 70 to 40, so the points flatten out instead of following a line.
Negative nonlinear association
Problem 17 Plant growth table
Heights increase about 1.1 inches for each extra hour, so nine points rise along a line. At 6 hours the pattern gives about 10.2 inches, but one plant measured 2.0.
Positive linear association; outlier (6, 2.0)
Problem 18 Commute times
One cluster has students living within 2 miles who travel 5 to 9 minutes. A second cluster has students 8 to 10 miles away who travel 26 to 33 minutes. The point (3, 40) is far above the pattern: a student who lives 3 miles away but takes 40 minutes, perhaps by a slow bus route.
Clusters near 1 to 2 miles and 8 to 10 miles; outlier (3, 40); overall positive association
Problem 19 Cooling coffee
The temperatures fall, so the association is negative. The drops are 40, 28, 20, 14, 9, 7, which shrink, so the points curve and flatten.
A line drops at a constant rate and would eventually predict temperatures below room temperature.
Negative nonlinear association
Problem 20 Who is right?
The points do not move in one direction: they go up first and down later. A single positive or negative label does not describe the whole pattern, but the curved arch is clearly not a line.
Ava is correct: the association is nonlinear