In this activity students are given data on the number of AIDS cases in the US and are asked to graph, interpret, and analyze the data.

Mathematics Topics: Students draw scatterplots of the data, and fit linear, exponential, and other regression curves to the data.

Mathematical Thinking: Students will visually and numerically analyze data, determine viewing windows to suggest various interpretations, make predictions based on numerical and graphing representations of data, compare numerical, graphical and algebraic representations, and assesss limitations of mathematical models.

Technology: Students will use graphing calculators to draw scatterplots, change viewing windows, create cumulative lists, and calculate regression equations.

Sample Screenshots: Below are a chart with the new AIDS case and cumulative AIDS case data and screen shots of scatterplots of each data set.

Year New AIDS Cases in US Cumulative AIDS Cases 1981 329 329 1982 1195 1524 1983 3146 4670 1984 6281 10951 1985 11980 22931 1986 19299 42230 1987 28960 71190 1988 35918 107108 1989 43095 150203 1990 48911 199114 1991 59840 258954 1992 78355 337309 1993 78452 415761 1994 70215 485976 1995 64391 550367 1996 49875 600242

Source: Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov)