The Scientific Method: Card Sort

Question: Is it cheaper to hire one worker or multiple workers to complete a job?

Hypothesis: ____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Record Data: Record worker times in the table below.

Table #1 Worker Times
Number of Workers
Time (in sec. or in min. & sec.)
Trial
#1
Time for Worker #1 to complete the job
Goal Time For 2 Workers
(Time it took Worker 1 divided by 2)

Goal Time For 3 Workers
(Time it took Worker 1 divided by 3)

Trial
#2
Time for Workers 1 and 2 to complete the job
Trial
#3
Workers 1, 2, & 3

Analyze Data: Display your data from Table #1 using a bar graph. Trial one will have one bar, but trials 2 and 3
will have 2 bars (one bar will show what the goal time was and one bar will show the actual time). Be sure to label
each axis (X-Number of Workers; Y-Time to Sort Cards). Provide a title, color your graph, and provide a key.








Name: _____________________________
Hour: _______ Date: __________

Analyze your graph. READ THIS CAREFULLY!

If multiple workers BEAT their goal time (sorted the cards in less time than the goal time), it means
hiring them would be CHEAPER than hiring only one worker. (Multiple workers are MORE EFFICIENT)
If multiple workers MET their goal time (exactly), it means hiring them would be AS CHEAP as
hiring only one worker. (Multiple workers are AS EFFICIENT)
If multiple workers did NOT meet their goal time (it took them longer), it means hiring them would
be MORE EXPENSIVE than hiring just one worker. (Multiple workers are LESS EFFICIENT).

Did the groups with multiple workers meet or beat the goal times? If so, you can conclude that
multiple workers are AS efficient or MORE efficient than one worker. But if this did NOT happen, it
means that multiple workers are less efficient and actually end up costing the employer more money!

Questions: Please use complete sentences!

1. What was the independent variable in this experiment (which variable did you intentionally
change or manipulate)?




2. What was the dependent variable in this experiment (which variable changed as a result of
change in the independent variable)?




3. Name two constants, or things that stayed the same in your experiment, during all three trials
of this experiment.




4. Which group was the control group in this experiment?




5. Based on cost alone, would you recommend that Uptown Garbage Company hire single or
multiple workers for their garbage routes? Why? Use evidence (numbers) from your
experiment to justify your recommendation.