Data Detective
Solve cases with tally charts, line plots, histograms and scatter plots.
Statistics becomes a series of cases to crack in Data Detective. Children start by reading tally charts, picture graphs and bar graphs. Then they build line plots and dot plots by tapping, move cubes between stacks to see the mean as a fair share, and compare data sets. Higher levels bring histograms, box plots and scatter plots.
Six levels cover a lot of ground, so the game suits grade 3 up through grade 8. Hints appear after a wrong answer, and each right answer is explained in plain words. Children learn to ask what a graph shows and whether a number is a fair summary of the data.
What children practice
- Read tally charts, picture graphs and bar graphs
- Build line plots and dot plots from a list of numbers
- Find the mean, median, mode and range of a data set
- Describe the shape of a histogram and spot an outlier
- Use MAD, five number summaries and box plots to compare spread
- Read scatter plots, predict from a line of fit and judge samples
Levels
- Read the chart: Tally, bars
- Mode and range: Line plots
- Fair share: Mean, median
- Shape of data: Histograms
- Spread and boxes: MAD, box plots
- Scatter plots: Trends, samples
How it works
- Six levels run from reading charts to scatter plots, and the next level opens after five correct answers plus practice time.
- Some cases are multiple choice, and others have the child tap to build a plot, move cubes or choose which number to remove.
- After a wrong answer a short hint appears, a second miss shows a second hint, and the right answer comes with an explanation.
- Questions can be read aloud with the speaker button.
Best for: A good fit for grades 3 to 8, from first graphs to the statistics that middle school classes use.
Tip for parents: Collect a small data set together, such as the number of letters in each family member's name, then ask your child to draw a dot plot and name the mode and the median.
Questions parents ask
Does Data Detective teach the mean?
Yes, in Level 3, children move cubes between stacks until all the stacks are level, which shows the mean as a fair share. They also practice median, mode and range, and Level 5 adds mean absolute deviation.
What is in the last level?
Level 6 covers scatter plots and trends, predicting from a line of fit, what its slope and intercept mean, two way tables, statistical questions and choosing a fair sample. It is the most advanced level in the game.
Is it only for older children?
No, Level 1 starts with tally charts and picture graphs that a third grader can read. Levels open in order as a child succeeds, so the harder statistics wait until the basics are solid.
Ready to try it?
Data Detective is free with a parent account. A parent adds a child profile, and the child's progress is saved.