EDEXCEL GCSE MATHS · FOUNDATION & HIGHER
Exam Practice: Time Series
Time series · Interpreting and representing data · Lesson 2 of 6 · 6 marks · 15 minutes
Name Date
Answer all questions. Show your working.
Question 1 CALCULATOR [3 marks]
The time series graph shows the number of visitors, in thousands, to a museum each quarter for three years. (a) How many visitors were there in Q2 of Year 2? (b) Describe the trend in the number of visitors. (c) In which quarter is the museum busiest each year? Suggest a reason.
Question 2 CALCULATOR [2 marks]
In Year 3 the museum had 3800, 5200, 7600 and 3400 visitors in the four quarters. Work out the mean number of visitors per quarter in Year 3.
Question 3 CALCULATOR [1 mark]
The museum's manager uses the graph to predict the number of visitors in Year 8. Give one reason why this prediction may not be reliable.
Answers
Check your answer only once you have written one.
Question 1 [3 marks]
(a) 4900 (b) The number of visitors is increasing. (c) Q3 - July to September, the summer holidays.
▸ (a) 4900, or 4.9 thousand B1
▸ (b) Increasing, in context C1
▸ (c) Q3, with a sensible reason such as summer holidays C1
Question 2 [2 marks]
(3800 + 5200 + 7600 + 3400)/4 = (20 000)/4 = 5000
▸ (3800 + 5200 + 7600 + 3400) ÷ 4, or 20 000 seen M1
▸ 5000 A1
Question 3 [1 mark]
Year 8 is a long way beyond the data, and the pattern may not continue - for example the museum could change its prices or opening times.
▸ A reason referring to predicting far beyond the data, or to the pattern changing C1