Algebra II Journal
Module 3: Standard Deviation
Making Deviation Standard
This journal belongs to:
1
Module 3: Making Deviation Standard
Algebra II Journal: Reflection 1
Respond to the following reflection questions and submit to your teacher.
Enter the Number of Days Served for each president in your graphing calculator.
Using the features of a graphing calculator, determine the mean and the mean
absolute deviation of the Number of Days Served by a President data set.
Explain what the mean and the mean absolute deviation represent in the context
of the situation.
2
Module 3: Making Deviation Standard
Algebra II Journal: Reflection 2
Respond to the following reflection questions and submit to your teacher.
Enter in the presidents’ Number of Days Served in your graphing calculator.
Determine the mean and the standard deviation for the data.
Provide an interpretation of what the mean and the standard deviation reveal
about the context of the situation.
3
Module 3: Making Deviation Standard
Algebra II Journal: Reflection 3
In this lesson, you learned about mean absolute deviation and standard deviation. You
learned how to calculate these two values, and how they describe the distribution of a
data set. In this reflection, you will apply what you have learned in this lesson. Respond
to the reflection questions below and submit your reflection to your teacher.
The chart below displays the length of time each president was in service for our
country.
President
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
G. Washington
J. Adams
T. Jefferson
J. Madison
J. Monroe
J. Q. Adams
A. Jackson
M. Van Buren
W. H. Harrison
J. Tyler
J. Polk
Z. Taylor
M. Fillmore
F. Pierce
J. Buchanan
A. Lincoln
A. Johnson
U. Grant
R. Hayes
J. Garfield
C. Arthur
G. Cleveland
B. Harrison
G. Cleveland
W. McKinley
T. Roosevelt
W. H. Taft
W. Wilson
W. Harding
C. Coolidge
H. Hoover
F. D. Roosevelt
H. Truman
D. Eisenhower
Number of
Terms in Office
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
1
2
1
4
2
2
Number of
Years Served
6.34
4
8
8
8
4
8
4
0.08
3.92
4
1.33
2.67
4
4
4.11
3.86
8
4
0.54
3.46
4
4
4
4.5
7.5
4
8
2.42
5.58
4
12.08
7.75
8
Number of Days
Served
2865
1460
2922
2922
2922
1461
2922
1461
31
1430
1461
491
969
1461
1461
1503
1419
2922
1461
199
1262
1461
1461
1461
1654
2728
1461
2922
881
2041
1461
4422
2840
2922
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Module 3: Making Deviation Standard
President
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
J. F. Kennedy
L. Johnson
R. Nixon
G. Ford
J Carter
R. Reagan
G. H. Bush
W. Clinton
G. W. Bush
B. Obama
Number of
Terms in Office
1
2
2
1
1
2
1
2
2
2
Number of
Years Served
2.83
5.17
5.5
2.42
4
8
4
8
8
(still completing
term in 2014)
Number of Days
Served
1036
1886
2027
895
1461
2922
1461
2922
2922
(still completing
term in 2014)
5
Module 3: Making Deviation Standard
The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution limits the presidential length of service to two
terms. This amendment was passed in 1947, during President Harry Truman’s term.
This followed President Franklin Roosevelt’s 4 terms, the most of any president of the
United States.
Complete the following task to determine how the passing of the 22nd Amendment
affected the “Number of Years Served.” Respond to the following reflection questions
and submit to your teacher.
Determine the mean, standard deviation and mean absolute deviation for the first
32 presidents (the presidents who served prior to the 22nd Amendment).
Which measure of variability, the mean absolute deviation or the standard
deviation, represents the distribution of the data best? Use mathematics to
explain your answer.
Determine the mean, standard deviation and mean absolute deviation for the
presidents #33 (Truman) to #43 (G. W. Bush). These are the presidents who
served after the 22nd Amendment was ratified.
Which measure of variability, the mean absolute deviation or the standard
deviation, represents the distribution of the data best? Use mathematics to
explain your answer.
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Module 3: Making Deviation Standard
Compare the mean and variability for the Number of Years the Presidents Served
prior to the 22nd Amendment and after its ratification.
• Which data is more variable? Use mathematics to explain how you determined
your answer.
• Why do you believe the data set you chose is more variable? Use mathematics to support your answer.