Final answer:
When graphing the mean result of an experiment, label your axes appropriately, plot data points, draw a horizontal line representing the mean, optionally draw a best-fit line, and shade specific areas under the curve to represent probabilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
To graph the mean result of a photosynthesis experiment, or any other experiment where you are comparing data points to a mean value, you should follow these steps:
- First, label your x-axis with the independent variable (e.g., time or concentration of CO2) and your y-axis with the dependent variable (e.g., rate of photosynthesis or oxygen production).
- Plot each data point that you have collected on the graph.
- Calculate the mean value of your experimental results.
- Draw a horizontal line across the graph to represent the mean value.
- If necessary, draw a best-fit line through your data points. This does not have to pass through every point but should reflect the general trend of your data. Use a ruler to ensure the line is straight, and calculate the slope if needed for further analysis.
- Shade the area under the curve to indicate a specific probability, such as the probability of the dependent variable being below a certain value.
When it comes to more specific graph types, such as an exponential graph, make sure you properly indicate the decay rate and the mean. If you're working with histograms, choose appropriate intervals and use them consistently across the graph. For dot plots, your points should be plotted directly above the corresponding value on the x-axis, with multiple points for the same value stacking vertically.