Step by step
The question
Question: make a stem-and-leaf plot of 33, 47, 52, 38, 41, 30, 45, 56 and 49.
Find the range.
1 Split the numbers
The tens digit is the stem.
The ones digit is the leaf.
33: stem 3, leaf 3.
Careful!
Every plot needs a key.
3, line, 3 means 33, not 6.
2 Write the leaves
The stems go down the side: 3, 4 and 5.
33: leaf 3 goes after stem 3.
We cross out 33.
47: leaf 7 after stem 4.
And so on, in the order they come.
3 Put the leaves in order
Now we write the plot again, with each row of leaves in order, smallest first.
Stem 3: 0, 3 and 8.
And the key: 3, line, 3 means 33.
4 Read the plot
The smallest is the first leaf on the top row: 30.
The biggest is the last leaf on the bottom row: 56.
The range is the biggest minus the smallest.
56 minus 30 is 26.
5 Check
Let's check: the plot has 9 leaves, one for each of the 9 numbers.
So none is lost!
Let's look back.
First: split the numbers.
Then: write the leaves.
Then: put the leaves in order.
Then: read the plot.
Last: check.