Sep 15, 2016

To Understand the News, You Better Be Able to Interpret Charts!

Big data (“extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations, especially relating to human behavior and interactions”) permeates so many elements of our lives today. Companies collect and analyze vast amounts of data to understand our surfing habits and place the right ad in the right place at the right time. Autonomous cars collect data from its many sensors and radar systems to keep its passengers safe. Political campaigns use big data to interpret voter intentions and on and on. 

Now we have evidence that your students better be able to interpret data to understand the world around them. Here’s a chart showing the increased use of charts in news coverage at one paper (courtesy of Pricenomics):

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We built sixty NGPF Data Crunches to hone your student’s data interpretation and analytical skills while introducing personal finance concepts. They are a simple and easy to implement way to bring math into your classroom.

 

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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