Step by step
The question
Question: make a stem-and-leaf plot of 34, 41, 38, 52, 47, 36 and 45.
Find the range.
1 Split the numbers
The tens digit is the stem.
The ones digit is the leaf.
34: stem 3, leaf 4.
Careful!
Every plot needs a key.
3, line, 4 means 34, not 7.
2 Write the leaves
The stems go down the side: 3, 4 and 5.
34: leaf 4 goes after stem 3.
We cross out 34.
41: leaf 1 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: 4, 6 and 8.
And the key: 3, line, 4 means 34.
4 Read the plot
The smallest is the first leaf on the top row: 34.
The biggest is the last leaf on the bottom row: 52.
The range is the biggest minus the smallest.
52 minus 34 is 18.
5 Check
Let's check: the plot has 7 leaves, one for each of the 7 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.