Skip to content
Brainsladder

Create and Read a Line Plot

Students display measurement data on a line plot by placing Xs above a number line at the correct measurement value. Students read the line plot to answer questions about the data, such as identifying the most common measurement.

Try three of them

Real questions from this skill, graded here. No account, and nothing is saved.

Create and Read a Line Plot

Grade 2 · Data and Graphs · question 1 of 3

0 of 12

12 rungs. A star at the top.

123456789carrot lengths

9 inches: how many Xs?

How it is taught

0:00 of 2:58

A line plot stacks X marks above a number line.

The tallest stack is the most common value.

123456789block heights

Read it: Read the X's on a line plot

5 ribbons were measured in whole inches. Each X is 1 ribbon. 3 X's stand above 4.

  1. Find a length on the line.
  2. Count the X's above it: 1 X is 1 ribbon.
  3. The tallest stack is the most common length: 4 inches.

Each X stands for 1 thing that was measured, so the X's count the things.

X's that stack up mean that several things had the same length.

Counting every X tells how many things were measured in all: 5 ribbons.

1 X for each thing measured. Count the X's to read the plot.

Counting the numbers on the line instead of the X's above them.

The numbers are lengths. Count the X's: 5 ribbons in all.

Ribbons were measured: 2 are 5 inches long, 2 are 6 inches long and 3 are 7 inches long. How many ribbons were measured in all? — 7. On a line plot, each ribbon is 1 X: 2 + 2 + 3 is 7.

Pencil lengths: 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6 inches

Today we're learning about line plots. We measured seven pencils to the nearest inch.

Here's our data: three, four, four, five, five, five, and six inches.

First, draw a number line that covers every length — from three to six inches.

Now we place an X above each measurement. Our first pencil is three inches — X above three.

The next pencil is four inches — X above four.

Another four — stack a second X right on top.

Now five inches — X above five.

Another five — stack it up.

And one more five!

Our last pencil is six inches — X above six.

Look at this line plot. Which length has the tallest stack of Xs?

Grade 2 · Plotting pencil lengths in inches

Five inches! Three pencils were five inches long — that's the most common length.

Now you try. Find the tallest stack on this line plot. What value is most common?

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics
Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal
1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now
Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

More of the library

Every skill has a page

Practise this skill free

14 days of every skill, practice packets, Fluency sheets and up to four students. No card.

Start free
Create and Read a Line Plot — Grade 2 Mathematics