← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

Asking a question the data can answer

A clear question that can be answered with numbers you can collect or already have, such as how many, how much or what changed over time.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Analysing and Visualising Data — Module 1, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Analysing and Visualising Data — Module 1

Understanding Asking a question the data can answer in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: 'How much' asks for a total amount, and SUM adds up a column of numbers to answer it. A question can only be answered if the data has the matching columns, here Day and Max. Counting students in a house uses the yearLevel and house columns. 'Nicest' is an opinion, so numbers cannot answer it. A 'what changed' question compares two numbers over time. A favourite is a preference, not a number in the data. Check the data has the columns you need before you start. Hottest day needs the day and the temperature. Selling counts need a quantity or sales column. Without one, the data can't answer that question.

Common mistakes: A 'how many sold' question needs a total, so use SUM. AVERAGE gives the typical quantity, not how many were sold in all. A question about change over time is best shown with a line chart. A pie chart shows parts of a whole, not a trend, so it should be 'Chart: line of Rain by Day'.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

🖨 Print worksheet + answer key Add Asking a question the data can answer to a class →

This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 261–300) and word search (Modules 261–324).

Take this worksheet further — free with Cloodit

Each concept is reinforced from every angle — learned, then applied, then tested.

Learning
Duo
Which is a question the data can answer?
Which house has the nicest students?How many students in Year 7 are in the Red house?
Matches
Is the weather nice? (data: Day, Max, Min, Rain)
↓
The question is vague and opinion-based, so numbers cannot answer it. Ask 'What was the highest Max temperature this week?' instead.
Applying
Meanings
Term
data question
Meaning
A clear question that can be answered with numbers you can collect or already have, such as how many, how much or what changed over time.
Practice
=AVERAGE(B2:B8)-AVERAGE(C2:C8)
Testing
Gaps
=(B2:B9,">80")
Check Answer
Spots
2Needs: Item, Qty
3Formula: =AVERAGE(D2:D9)

Cloodit turns curriculum-aligned coding content into journeys students work through one biome at a time.

The 'Chambered Nautilus' badge — File Explorer, one of Cloodit's 106 collectible badges
Students earn collectable badges

Over 100 of them, across seven natural biomes.

Study Buddy
Students build a real study resource

Turns their work into revision material ready for Flash Cards and Exam study.

Diamond Dash — one of Cloodit's live, competitive Sprint games
Students lock in with Sprints

Live, competitive practice for the start of the lesson or a teacher-led lesson finisher.

A Cloodit certificate of achievement, ready to personalise and print
Custom printable certificates

Honour your top performers, or encourage a student who's trying hard — ready to print in seconds.

Add to class →

Quick Questions

1. Which is a question the data can answer?
A. How many students in Year 7 are in the Red house? ✓
B. Which house has the nicest students?
Counting students in a house uses the yearLevel and house columns. 'Nicest' is an opinion, so numbers cannot answer it.
2. Which question is a 'how much' question?
A. Is the canteen a fun place to visit?
B. How much money did the canteen make from Tech items? ✓
'How much' asks for an amount you can add up from price and quantity columns. 'Fun' can't be measured with the data.
3. Which question is about what changed?
A. Did Mia's mark go up or down between Term 1 and Term 2? ✓
B. What is Mia's favourite subject?
A 'what changed' question compares two numbers over time. A favourite is a preference, not a number in the data.
4. Which question is about a trend over time?
A. Did the daily rainfall go up across the week? ✓
B. Which day is the best day of the week?
A trend question tracks a number across time, like rain each day. 'Best' has no measurable meaning.
5. You want to ask 'Which day was the hottest?' Which columns do you need?
A. A Name column and a Price column
B. A Day column and a Max temperature column ✓
Check the data has the columns you need before you start. Hottest day needs the day and the temperature.

Match the Pairs

How many students are in each house? → A 'how many' question answered by counting rows in the data
How did daily rainfall change from Mon to Sun? → A trend over time question answered by comparing values across days
A 'how much' question can be answered by adding up a number column → How much money did the shop make? =SUM(C2:C9)
Check the data has the columns you need before you start → Question: Which day was hottest? Needs: Day and Max columns
Is the weather nice? (data: Day, Max, Min, Rain) → The question is vague and opinion-based, so numbers cannot answer it. Ask 'What was the highest Max temperature this week?' instead.
Which student is the funniest? (data: Name, Maths, English, Science) → The data has no column about humour, so it cannot answer this. Ask 'Which student had the highest Maths mark?' instead.

Key Term

data question
A clear question that can be answered with numbers you can collect or already have, such as how many, how much or what changed over time.

Fill in the Blanks

1. Q: How many students scored over 80 in Maths? =COUNTIF(B2:B9,">80")
Hint: Type the function that counts only the cells meeting a condition, which answers a 'how many' question.
2. Q: How much stock do Tech items have in total? =SUMIF(B2:B9,"Tech",D2:D9)
Hint: Type the function that adds up only the matching cells, which answers a 'how much' question.
3. Q: What changed in Max from Mon to Wed? =B4-B2
Hint: Type the arithmetic operator that finds the difference between the later and earlier value.
4. Q: Is Max rising or falling over the week? =IF(B8>B2,"Rising","Falling")
Hint: Type the comparison operator that checks whether the last day's value is bigger than the first day's.
5. Q: How many columns have a heading? =COUNTA(A1:D1)
Hint: Type the function that counts cells that are not empty, to check the data has the columns you need.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A Q: How many items were sold?
B Needs: Item, Qty
C Formula: =AVERAGE(D2:D9)
Line C — A 'how many sold' question needs a total, so use SUM. AVERAGE gives the typical quantity, not how many were sold in all.
Question 2
A Q: Did the rain change by day?
B Needs: Day, Rain
C Chart: pie of Rain by Day
Line C — A question about change over time is best shown with a line chart. A pie chart shows parts of a whole, not a trend, so it should be 'Chart: line of Rain by Day'.
Question 3
A Q: How much stock do we have?
B Sheet: shop
C Needs: Item, Qty
D Formula: =SUM(C2:C9)
Line D — Column C holds Price, but the question is about stock, which is in the Qty column D. The formula should be =SUM(D2:D9).
Question 4
A Sheet: weather
B Q: Was Friday's rain annoying?
C Needs: Day, Rain
D =COUNTIF(D2:D8,">0")
Line B — 'Annoying' is an opinion, so numbers can't answer it. A data question should be about counting or measuring, like 'How many days had rain?'.
Question 5
A Q: Is Maths a fun subject?
B Needs: Name, Maths
C =AVERAGE(B2:B9)
Line A — 'Fun' is an opinion and can't be answered with numbers in the data. The question should be about a number, such as 'What is the Maths average?'.

Student with a class code? Join your class →