Taylor Sorensen

Math 1040
April 15, 2015
Math 1040 Skittles Term Project
For this Math 1040 project, we used the skills we learned throughout
the term to display various charts all based on the same data. In order to
receive the data, each student had to purchase a standard sized bag of
Skittles, and find the total number of each color, found in their own bag.
After collecting this data we then turned in our information to the teacher
who made a chart with a compilation of all of our results and found the total
number of each color as well as the overall number of skittles; which for this
project is known as the sample size.
Given our class information we then were instructed to create two
different charts to display the number of candies of each color. Figure 1
shown below is a pie chart depicting the data of the number of candies of
each color for the entire class or sample. Looking at the pie chart, the
numbers of each color of candy appear to be somewhat even in proportion
as seen in the slices. In comparison, the pareto chart or figure 2 depicts the
same data, but makes the differences in the number of candies per color
found in the sample, much more noticeable. The gap between yellow, the
most found color, and green the least found color is much more dominant in
the pareto chart. Oddly enough, comparing the class information with the
data I collected from my own bag of skittles found in figure 3 and 4, yellow

and green were my two lowest colors, with purple being the highest. This
goes to show that even with a sample size of 22 bags and 1327 skittles, the
data found isnt capable of representing the population of skittle bags as a
whole.
After the construction of both the pie chart and pareto chart, we were
then instructed to create a histogram and boxplot; two very different ways to
display the information from our class sample. In the pie and pareto charts
we categorized the data already provided by the teacher, but for the
histogram and boxplot, we use the data and using formulas taught this term
in 1040, create a whole new set of information. This information includes, the
mean of the data, standard deviation, minimum, maximum, Quartile 1,
Quartile 3, and the median, all of which can be calculated given the class
information. After calculating the new set of data, we create first the
histogram which helps depict the frequency, or how often the number of
candies in a bag were repeated. Upon examining the finished histogram it
allows us to see on average the most common numbers of candies found in
skittle bags from our class size of 22. The boxplot can be used to show the
same information, by showing where the most common number of skittles
per bag are found on the number line. Observing the data the distribution for
the histogram appears to be normal based on the bell shape of the bar
graph. That being said there is a noticeable outlier in the data set, one bag
only contained 49 skittles, a stark contrast to the average skittle to bag
ration of 60.3. Both graphs reflected what I imagined would happen given

the sample information, that the distribution would be normal throughout all
the bags my fellow students and I purchased for this experiment.
This project helped me understand the different charts and how to take
a compilation of data and turn it into something of mean and use. Not only
do I have a better understanding of how statistics are used in the outside
world, but I also have a newfound fascination with the way something as
simple as skittles could become all the different formulas and graphs of data.

Skittle Proportions by Color

(Figure 1)

260

266

231

274
296

red

orange

yellow

green

purple

Skittle Proportions by Color

(Figure 2)

Number of Skittles

350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0

296

274

266

260

231

1
Color of Skittles

yellow

orange

red

purple

green

Taylor's Skittle Proportions by Color

(Figure 3)

14

15

11

11
10

red

orange

yellow

green

purple

Taylor's Skittle Proportions by Color

(Figure 4)

Number of Skittles

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Color of Skittles
purple

red

orange

green

yellow

Frequency of Candies/Bag
15
10
5
Frequency 0

Number of Candies

Minimum: 49
Maximum: 64
Q1: 60
Q3: 61.75
Median: 61
Mean: 60.3
Standard
Deviation: 2.90
Number of Candies

Data Table

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Purple

My Bag

14
(.200)

11
(.206)

10
(.223)

11
(.174)

15
(.196)

Class
Sample

266
(.200)

274
(.210)

296
(.220)

231
(.170)

260
(.200)

Summary Statistics
Min

49

Q1

60

Media
n

61

Q3

Max

61.75 64

Mean

60.3

Standa
rd
Deviati
on

2.90