Scientists and engineers use mathematics and quantitative thinking to representing variables, behaviors, and their relationships. Mathematics is used to create models and simulations; statistically analyze data; and recognize, communicate, and look for relationships with other variables.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to compare data displays to determine which best answers the driving question. To do this they will evaluate the spread of the data and what the displays show. 

Within the science education community, there is a shift in focus from content driven instruction to that of the processes and practices associated with the acquisition of scientific knowledge.

Within the science education community, there is a shift in focus from content-driven instruction to that of the processes and practices associated with the acquisition of scientific knowledge.

Compare a histogram and map to determine the differences in the information conveyed in each data display.

Students learn how to estimate the "energy efficiency" of photosynthesis, or the amount of energy that plants absorb for any given location on Earth. This is the ratio of the amount of energy stored to the amount of light energy absorbed and is used to evaluate and model photosynthesis efficiency.

The fires in Greece during the summer of 2007 devastated large tracks of forest and ground cover in this Mediterranean region. Students analyze these data to determine the scale, area, and percentage of the forest impacted by of these fires.

This investigation is part of the NASA: Mission Geography Module "What are the causes and consequences of climate change?" that guides students through explorations in climatic variability and evidence for global climate change. 

Information from satellites if often used to display information about objects. This information can include how things appear, as well as their contents. Explore how pixel data sequences can be used to create an image and interpret it.

Explore using units in calculations with the Leaf Area Index (LAI). LAI is a ratio that describes the number of square meters of leaves per square meter of available land surface. Because of the units in the ratio, it is dimensionless.