Identifying Statistical Questions Worksheets, Grade 6 (6.SP.A.1) – Free PDF + Answer Key

First page of the identifying statistical questions practice worksheet

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PDFs print on US Letter paper. Free for classroom and home use.

Step-by-step math videos on the Math With Mr DJ YouTube channel →

Key idea

Statistical → you expect the answers to vary. Ask yourself: how many different answers would I get? One answer means not statistical. Many different answers means statistical. Variability usually comes from asking about a group, or about one thing over time.

Sample problems

Is “What is my shoe size?” statistical? Give your reason.
Is “What are the shoe sizes of Grade 6 students?” statistical? Give your reason.
Is “How many pets does Mr Lee own?” statistical? Give your reason.
Is “How many pets do the ProComm members own?” statistical? Give your reason.

Common mistakes to watch for

Said statistical because height is a number you measure. Numbers alone do not make a question statistical.
Said not statistical because there is one correct data set. The answers within it still vary.
Said statistical because the answer could be any number. What matters is whether it varies ACROSS the thing being asked about, not whether you happen to know it.

The answer key explains each one, so you can tell what a wrong answer means.

How to use this set

Teach with the slides (about 15 minutes), or watch the video together.
Practice with the worksheet. Questions climb from fluency to application to reasoning.
Check understanding with the exit ticket, and send the homework home.
Mark with the answer key — each answer shows the steps and the most likely mistake.