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📊AP Statistics
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📊AP Statistics

FRQ 1 – Focus on Exploring Data
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Unit 1: Exploring One-Variable Data
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AP Stats FRQ Types & Units

Each FRQ type tests specific skills taught in particular units. Here's why certain units appear for each question type:

FRQFocusUnitsWhy
FRQ 1Exploring Data1, 2Tests describing/analyzing data (distributions, scatterplots, correlation)
FRQ 2Sampling & Experimental Design3 onlyTests designing studies, identifying bias, randomization - all Unit 3 content
FRQ 3Probability & Sampling Distributions4, 5Tests probability calculations, expected value, sampling distributions
FRQ 4Inference6, 7, 8, 9Tests hypothesis tests and confidence intervals - each unit covers a different inference type
FRQ 5Multi-FocusAllCombines multiple skills across units in one integrated question
FRQ 6Investigative TaskAllOpen-ended investigation that can draw from any content

This mapping reflects College Board's exam structure - each FRQ type tests specific skills that are taught in particular units.

Practice FRQ 1 of 191/19
1. Dr. Jordan Lee, an agricultural researcher at a university, is investigating the effect of two different soil compositions on the growth of a new variety of sunflower. Dr. Lee planted sunflowers in two separate fields: one field containing Soil Type A and another field containing Soil Type B. After three months, the heights of the sunflowers were measured in centimeters (cm), as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Boxplots of sunflower heights (cm) after three months for Soil Type A and Soil Type B

A clean, black-and-white statistical graphic showing TWO HORIZONTAL boxplots aligned to the same horizontal number line (x-axis) of height in centimeters. Axes (REQUIRED): - X-axis (horizontal): labeled exactly "Height (cm)" centered below the axis. The axis runs from 80 on the far left to 200 on the far right. Tick marks and numeric tick labels appear at every 10 cm: 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200. No other tick values. - Y-axis (vertical): labeled exactly "Soil type" along the left side. The y-axis is categorical with exactly two category tick positions. The lower category label reads "Soil Type A" and the upper category label reads "Soil Type B". No numeric scale is shown on the y-axis. - Origin: show a small "0" label at the bottom-left intersection of the axes (even though it is not on the plotted height scale). This "0" is only the origin label, not part of the height scale. - Arrows: draw arrowheads on the positive end of the x-axis (pointing right) and on the positive end of the y-axis (pointing up). Overall layout and styling: - Both boxplots are perfectly horizontal and centered on their respective y-category rows. - Use solid black lines of medium thickness for boxes, whiskers, and median lines. - No gridlines. - No legend (the y-axis category labels identify the plots). Boxplot for Soil Type A (the LOWER row labeled "Soil Type A"): - Whiskers: draw a left whisker ending exactly at 110 cm and a right whisker ending exactly at 165 cm. - Box: the left edge of the box (first quartile) is exactly at 130 cm; the right edge of the box (third quartile) is exactly at 150 cm. - Median: draw a vertical median line inside the box exactly at 140 cm. - Whisker connections: connect the left edge of the box to the left whisker endpoint with a straight horizontal whisker line; connect the right edge of the box to the right whisker endpoint with a straight horizontal whisker line. - End caps: put short vertical end-cap ticks at the whisker endpoints at 110 cm and 165 cm. - Outliers: show NO outlier markers on the Soil Type A row. Boxplot for Soil Type B (the UPPER row labeled "Soil Type B"): - Outlier: include exactly ONE outlier marker as a black asterisk (*) positioned on the Soil Type B row at exactly 90 cm. This asterisk must be horizontally aligned with the 90 tick label. - Lower whisker (non-outlier minimum): the left whisker endpoint is exactly at 120 cm (this is the smallest non-outlier value). Draw a short vertical end-cap tick at 120 cm. - Box: the left edge of the box (first quartile) is exactly at 150 cm; the right edge of the box (third quartile) is exactly at 175 cm. - Median: draw a vertical median line inside the box exactly at 165 cm. - Upper whisker (maximum): the right whisker endpoint is exactly at 190 cm. Draw a short vertical end-cap tick at 190 cm. - Whisker connections: connect the left edge of the box to the 120 cm whisker endpoint with a straight horizontal whisker line; connect the right edge of the box to the 190 cm whisker endpoint with a straight horizontal whisker line. Accuracy constraints (must be visually exact): - Every listed five-number-summary value must align exactly to its tick mark on the x-axis. - The Soil Type B outlier asterisk at 90 cm must be clearly separated from the left whisker endpoint at 120 cm, and there must be no additional outlier symbols. - The two boxplots must not overlap vertically; there is clear white space between the Soil Type A row and the Soil Type B row. No additional annotations, titles, or descriptive text beyond the axis labels, tick labels, and the two y-category labels.
A. Compare the distributions of height for the sample of sunflowers grown in Soil Type A and the sample of sunflowers grown in Soil Type B.
B. For the distribution of height for the sample of sunflowers grown in Soil Type B, would you expect the mean to be greater than 165 cm, less than 165 cm, or equal to 165 cm? Justify your answer.
C. Dr. Lee creates a new dataset by combining the heights from the 60 sunflowers in the Soil Type A sample and the 60 sunflowers in the Soil Type B sample.
i. What is the range of the combined data set? Show your work.
ii. What is a possible value of the median of the combined data set? Justify your answer by referencing the boxplots shown.
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FRQ Directions
Free Response Question Practice

This practice environment simulates the AP AP Statistics Free Response Questions section. Here are some guidelines:

  • Read each question carefullybefore responding. Pay attention to command verbs like "identify," "explain," "analyze," or "evaluate."
  • Use the timer to practice time management. You can pause, restart, or hide the timer as needed.
  • Mark for Review if you want to come back to a question later.
  • Your responses are saved automatically as you type. You can also use the drawing tool for questions that require diagrams or graphs.
  • Use the toolbar for formatting options like bold, italic, subscript, and superscript.
  • Navigate between questions using the Previous and Next buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Tip: Answer all parts of each question. Partial credit is often available, so even if you are unsure, provide what you know.