Concluding – looking for patterns
Looking for patterns, trends and correlations in graphs
In this part of the paper, you will have to analyse your data and suggest or confirm a relationship between the independent variable (A), and the dependent variable (B). Here are some examples of relationships from graphs.
No correlation between variables A and B.
Variable A changes, B doesn’t change.
Variable B is independent of variable A.
Direct proportion between A and B.
A changes, B changes in the same ratio, eg if A doubles, so does B.
A graph that shows direct proportion is a straight rising line that goes through the origin.
An example of this might be if A is the resultant force on a dynamics trolley and B is the acceleration of the trolley. The acceleration of the trolley is directly proportional to the resultant force.
A and B are proportional to each other.
Variable A changes by a regular amount and so does B.
The graph does not go through the origin.
An example of this might be if A is a weight added to a spring and B is the length of the spring. The length of the spring is proportional to the weight added to it.
There is an increasing positive correlation between variables A and B.
A increases by a regular amount.
B increases at an increasing rate.
There is a decreasing positive correlation between variables A and B.
A increases by a regular amount.
B increases at a decreasing rate.
Variables A and B show negative correlation to each other.
A increases by a regular amount.
B decreases by a regular amount.
Variables A and B are inversely proportional to each other.
As A increases, B decreases.
As A doubles, B halves.
An example of this might be if A was the mass of a dynamics trolley and B was its acceleration. The acceleration of the trolley is inversely proportional to the mass of the trolley.