Garcia              Swartz            Zimmerman
          Wong            Jackson                Smith

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Names Data Entry

This is a sampling activity of last names. Your class will develop a plan to collect the sample of data about last names in your community. Please limit your sample size to not more than 100 people. Your data when submitted will be combined with other submissions to form a larger sample. Other individual community samples are available for comparison as well as a names list from the 1990 census.

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Enter Data

See the Data

Individual Data Submissions
Combined Data

Census Link

http://www.census.gov/genealogy/www/freqnames.html

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Teacher Notes

The main mathematical focus of this data collection activity is on sampling. What is a good sample and what is it good for? Students may need assistance in developing a plan to choose a sample of 100 responses that is representative of the local community. The sample must be similar to the population in order to provide accurate information about it. For instance a class of 25 students might decide to question 4 people each. They might develop a plan for geographic representation of their community to avoid surveying the same person. Students can dialogue with other classes concerning their sampling methods. The census bureau's explanation on methodology is interesting. Before they begin, have students estimate the number of different names that will result from questioning 100 people.

Once the data from the individual locations have been submitted, students may use fractions, decimals or percents in their comparisons. Samplings from varied geographic areas may yield data that can be tied to Social Studies - immigration, settlement patterns and local history.

Please send observations, comments and suggestions.