Interpreting Graphs

[gymgirl]

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Haven't done much of this. And I suck at interpretting new graphs. Could you guys please suggest a website I could learn to interpret graphs please????

I am having a panic atttack after attempt the graphed passage on AAMC 8 Bio and the fact that it was on Aug 6th scares just triggered my noreepinepherons all the more.

DONT IGNORE ME, my TEST is day after 🙁 !!

Thanks

 

[gymgirl]

guys please, any source or anyyyyyyyyyyyyy help that I can use, will be much appreciated. pretty please!! 😳
-thankss😕

 

[EECStoMed]

guys please, any source or anyyyyyyyyyyyyy help that I can use, will be much appreciated. pretty please!! 😳
-thankss😕

A website that teaches you to interpret graphs? I haven't seen any. For me, I just look at the graphics, see the slopes, is it linear, exponential etc... Is it an logarithmic graphic or linear graph etc... I think you're over thinking it.

 

[RPedigo]

If you post an example of a problem you're having trouble with, I could show you my thought process.

For units of graphs:

Slope is rise over run, or y / x. This means that the units of the slope will be the units of the y-axis divided by the units of the x-axis. This is very helpful when you're analyzing physical sciences graphs. Let's say you were given a plot of velocity versus time. That's m/s on the y-axis (velocity), and s on the x-axis (seconds). If you take the slope, what are you measuring? y/x is (m/s)/s or m/(s^2). This is acceleration. This should make intuitive sense since you know acceleration is how velocity changes with time, which is the definition of slope (how y changes as x changes).

Taking the area under a curve is basically doing an integral-- you could only do this with very basic shapes (no parabolas, just triangles and lines). Now the units are the y-axis units multiplied by the x-axis units. Say you have a graph again with velocity on the y-axis and seconds on the x-axis. If you took the area under the curve, you'd get (m/s)*s = meters. This makes sense, because you are calculating the total distance traveled by using velocity over a period of time.

For biological sciences, you would have to post an example. Hope this helped slightly!

 

[Tan008]

take extra time while looking at the graphs. I find if I rush through them I often miss important information and end up missing a few questions.

 

[gymgirl]

yes, tan, Im tring to do that..

RP thanks for the y/x thing. I have literally memorized everything graph on MCAT. Now thats one less thing to memorize. I usually like understanding things, so I don't have to occupy and stress my memory cells, but I had just no way with graphs. But finally I think I want a way, because its really frustrating.

So, since I am not able to copy paste an aamc question, could we just go over the oxygen dissociation curve of heamoglobin? I mean I ve memorized it, stuff like it shifts to the right and left according to the conditions. But I am definitely fuzzy on the graphical aspect of it.

thanks so much!

 

[axp107]

100% agree.. I suck at graphs, which is why CBT 3 .. and CBT8s Bio was the worst for me. It's a time issue for me and for u too I'm sure. When I see a graph, I'm like OH ****.. i rush through it b/c I panic.. I've found that slowing down saves a lot of time/points

 

[gymgirl]

Yeah, CBT 8 was where I was tripping. But there weren't too many graphs yesterday, mostly experimental stuff. AAMC is so unpredictable, its like you have to be ready for-- either experimental, graphs, pure knowledge, etc.

Why didnt anyone tell me before that I was supposed to read the BS and PS passages as if they were verbal reasoning sections.lol.