B1 TOPIC 1 - VARIATION

Continuous And Discontinuous Variation

CVHS GCSE POWERPOINT SHARE

Continuous VariationContinuous variation is when individuals within a population vary within a range.

There are no distinct categories.

Examples• Animal mass• Width of bacteria• Amount of plant leaves

Continuous Variation Graphs

MeanNormal distribution curve

Continuous Variation Graphs

MeanNormal distribution curve

Discontinuous VariationDiscontinuous variation is when individuals characteristics within a population fit into two or more distinct categories.

There are no intermediate categories.

Examples• Blood group in humans• Bacteria’s anti-biotic resistance• how vertebrates respire• Colour of a courgette

Discontinuous Variation Graphs

Mode

Discontinuous Variation Graphs

Mode

PracticalsLook at the image and think of a practical, and what it

shows...

PracticalsRecord the eye colour

There will be distinct categories such as blue,

green etc.

This shows discontinuous variationYou would plot the

information, and make a bar graph, such as the on to the

right.

PracticalsLook at the image and think of a practical, and what it

shows...

PracticalsRecord the hand span

There will be lots of different results, nearly all

different

This shows continuous variationYou would plot the

information, and make a graph with a normal

distribution curve, such as the on to the right.

QuestionsCompare continuous and discontinuous variation (4)

Give two examples of discontinuous variation (2)

Design a practical for a classroom to show continuous variation (3)