Question

cer - analyzing data and tiger sharks
the population of tiger sharks off the coast of florida was recorded over several months. the following data was taken
month jan feb mar april may june july aug sept oct nov
number of sharks 12 15 25 35 30 35 40 60 62 75 80

1. create a line graph of the data on the grid below. time (months) is your independent variable; it should go on the x axis. be sure to label the axes and give your graph a title.
2. the number of seals was also recorded during this time, though lack of funding resulted in not as many data points being taken. add seal data to the graph above; label and color - code the two lines.

month jan feb mar april may june july aug sept oct nov dec
number of seals 50 35 40 30 15

1. make a claim about how tiger sharks and seal populations are related.
2. use evidence from your graph to support that claim. summarize trends observed in the graphs.
3. provide reasoning to connect evidence to the claim. (if __ occurs, then __ will be observed)

Explanation:

Step1: Create tiger - shark line graph

On the x - axis, label months from Jan to Dec. On the y - axis, create a scale that can accommodate the number of sharks (from 12 to 80). Plot points for each month's number of tiger sharks and connect them with a line. Title the graph "Population of Tiger Sharks off the Coast of Florida Over Time".

Step2: Add seal data to the graph

For the months with seal data (Mar, May, July, Sept, Dec), plot the number of seals on the same graph. Use a different color (e.g., red) and label the line "Number of Seals".

Step3: Make a claim

As the population of tiger sharks increases, the population of seals decreases.

Step4: Provide evidence

On the graph, when the number of tiger sharks goes up (e.g., from 12 in Jan to 80 in Dec), the number of seals in the months with data shows a general downward trend (e.g., 50 in Mar to 15 in Dec).

Step5: Provide reasoning

If the number of predators (tiger sharks) in an ecosystem increases, then the number of their prey (seals) will be observed to decrease due to increased predation pressure.

Answer:

1. Graph created as described with proper axis - labeling and title.
2. Seal data added to the graph with color - coding and labeling.
3. Claim: As the population of tiger sharks increases, the population of seals decreases.
4. Evidence: Tiger - shark population increases while seal population shows a downward trend in available data points.
5. Reasoning: If the number of predators increases, then the number of prey will decrease due to predation.