Project 14.1
“You can clearly see that Bufferin is the most effective… ”
“Penzoil is better suited … ”
“Sylvania was preferred by … .”
“How can anyone analyze the claims of the commercials we see and hear on a daily basis?” asked Betty. “I even subscribe to Consumer Reports, but so many of the claims seem to be unreasonable. I don’t like to buy items by trial and error, and I really don’t believe all the claims in advertisements.”
Collect examples of good statistical graphs and examples of misleading graphs. Use some of the leading newspapers and national magazines, or websites:
Project 14.2
Carry out the following experiment: A cat has two bowls of food, one bowl contains Whiskas and the other some other brand. The cat eats Whiskas and leaves the other untouched. Make a list of possible reasons why the cat ignored the second bowl. Describe the circumstances under which you think the advertiser could claim: Eight out of ten owners said their cat preferred Whiskas.