In module 6, students begin to think and reason statistically. They identify statistical questions and represent data distributions by using dot plots, histograms, relative frequency histograms, and box plots. Students describe the center, spread, and shape of a data distribution. They calculate and interpret measures of center and spread including mean, mean absolute deviation, median, and interquartile range, and they use these measures to describe the typical value and variability of a data distribution. At the end of the module, students complete a project where they develop a statistical question, implement a plan to collect data, analyze and interpret the data they collect, and present their findings to their peers. 

In topic B, students study the mean as a measure of center. They explore the mean as the value of one equal share and then as the balance point of a data distribution. This allows students to calculate the mean from a data set or to estimate the location of the mean in a data display. Students later discover that the mean alone is not sufficient to describe a data distribution. Building upon their experiences finding the balance point of a distribution, students find the mean absolute deviation as a measure of variability.