NCEA 3-1 Graphing

Excel graph exercises for 3-1 investigation (xlsx files)

Created for Baradene College Physics Department by K.Barrett 

Download the and save the files to your own device before use. 

Warnings:  Formatting and functions will not work if you try opening and using these Microsoft Excel files using Google Sheets. You may find that Greek letters and mathematical symbols become the victims of a font replacement when you download! e.g.  A 'D'  might need to be changed to the greek letter delta ! 

Just to annoy you :   Exemplar Answers are in the workbooks but hidden!! so learn how to find them!         KB  2023

L3 Excel graphs part 1.xlsx

Excel for the 3-1 Investigation PART ONE

Tasks and Intended Outcomes

  1  To plot a basic line graph (x-y scattergram) from two columns of data.

  2  Modify a basic graph to include the detail and axis labelling required for NCEA.

  3  Modify an existing graph to include vertical, fixed value error bars.

  4  Use a formula to average a range of data and format the answer to 2d.p.

  5  Use the MAX and MIN functions to find the half-range of a set of data and complete a data table.

  6  Enter a formula to convert absolute uncertainty to percentage uncertainty.

  7  Use the SQRT function to reprocess values L > √L  and calculate the uncertainty of the processed data.


Part One Video tutorials     TASKS 1&2 Basic Plotting      TASK 3 Error Bars     TASKS 4&5 Formulae

L3 Excel graphs part 2.xlsx

Excel for the 3-1 Investigation PART TWO

Tasks and Intended Outcomes

  1  Modify a basic graph to include the detail and axis labelling required for NCEA and identify the relationship

  2  Reprocess the independent variable data appropriately for the relationship

  3  Complete a data table to find the absolute uncertainty of the reprocessed (squared) variable

  4  Plot an x-y scattergram to get the straight line graph from the relationship.

  5  Modify a graph of the data to show a trendline, equation and produce customise error bars from the data table 

L3 Excel graphs part 3.xlsx

Excel for the 3-1 Investigation PART THREE

Tasks and Intended Outcomes

   0  Information about the experiment and relationship - no modification required.

  1  Modify a basic graph to include custom error bars, insert the generic equation then    modify the equation to include the appropriate variables and insert a suitable error line onto the graph.

  2  Calculate and compare gradients of the two lines to find the uncertainty of the gradient

    State the mathematical relationship including appropriately rounded uncertainties.

  3  Compare results with an exemplar