Numbers Don’t Lie…People Do

1. Numbers Don’t Lie…People Do Media and Quantitative Literacy

2. Common Terms • Definitions: • Mean – The average of the numbers present in the sample • Median –The number that is the midpoint in the range • Mode - The number that is most frequent in the sample

3. Common Terms • Identification IQ Scores 96 96 97 99 100 101 102 104 155

4. Common Terms • Identification IQ Scores 96 96 97 99 100 101 102 104 155 Mean = 105.6

5. Common Terms • Identification IQ Scores 96 96 97 99 100 101 102 104 155 Median = 100

6. Common Terms • Identification IQ Scores 96 96 97 99 100 101 102 104 155 Mode = 96

7. Reading & Interpreting Graphs & Charts

8. Reading & Interpreting Graphs & Charts What does the x axis represent? What does the y axis represent? What do the plot points indicate?

9. Reading & Interpreting Graphs & Charts If the purpose of the graph were to show causality, what would the results indicate? If the purpose of the graph were to show correlation, what would the results indicate? Based solely on the information provided by the graph, would these be valid claims? Why or why not?

10. Reading & Interpreting Graphs & Charts

11. Reading & Interpreting Graphs & Charts

12. Reading & Interpreting Graphs & Charts

13. Reading & Interpreting Graphs & Charts What is a flat tax? Who conducted the survey and what was the sample? What is the margin of error and how does that effect the results?

14. Reading & Interpreting Graphs & Charts Who conducted the survey and what was the sample? Heritage Foundation Sample of 100 conference attendees What is the margin of error and how does that effect the results? Margin of error +/- 5 points N = 100 margin of error +/- 5

15. Bush’s 2003 Tax Cuts Combined Effect of Bush Tax Cuts 2003 February 19, 2004 President Bush presented a speech about his tax cuts. [“Remarks by the President on the Economy” Presidential Hall, Eisenhower Executive Office Building] Here is an excerpt of that speech provided by White House staff following the event: Bush: The tax relief we passed, 111 million taxpayers will save, on average, $1586 off their taxes. To the right is a table from the Tax Policy Center.

16. Making Sense of the Data Using that table, which is based on a population of 111 million people, you will complete the following tasks. [This presentation and the assignment sheet will be available on our Blackboard site.] • What is the median income according to the data? • What is the tax change (percentage and dollar amount) for those in the median income range? • What income group gets the most tax relief (percentage and dollar amount)? • What is the average tax break? • Factor what percentage of each brackets’ income the tax cut represents. Who is getting the best deal

17. Working with the Data Using your spreadsheet: • create a graph displaying the percentage of households; • collapse the groups into three categories (poverty, middle class, wealthy) and revise your graph. Based on your first graph, who is getting the best deal?

18. Using Numbers to Support an Argument Write a paper from the point of view of a candidate. Take a stand on the issue and use the data go promote your position. What information do you present in your speech to the press if you are in favor of the tax cuts? What information do you present if you are against the tax cuts? You will need to present, describe, and analyze the data in detail to provide adequate basis for your argument.