Range Describes Temperature Spread
Range describes temperature spread is a Grade 3 science skill that teaches students to calculate the range of a temperature dataset by subtracting the lowest value from the highest. For a month of daily high temperatures, if the highest recorded temperature is 85°F and the lowest is 62°F, the range is 85 − 62 = 23°F. A small range indicates consistent temperatures; a large range indicates high variability. Range is a single-number summary that helps scientists quickly characterize whether weather in a location is stable or variable, supporting comparisons between different locations and seasons.
Key Concepts
A group of daily high temperatures collected over a month forms a set of data. Looking at all this data together helps scientists find weather patterns for a place.
One important pattern is the range . The range is the spread of temperatures from the lowest daily high to the highest daily high. It describes how much the temperature changed over the whole month, from its coolest day to its warmest day.
Common Questions
How do you calculate the range of a temperature dataset?
Subtract the minimum (lowest) temperature from the maximum (highest) temperature. Range = Maximum − Minimum. For temperatures from 62°F to 85°F: Range = 85 − 62 = 23°F.
What does a large range tell you about weather?
A large range indicates high variability—temperatures varied greatly during that period. Some days were much warmer or cooler than others.
What does a small range tell you about weather?
A small range means temperatures were consistent, staying close to the same value throughout the period. The weather was relatively stable.
Why is range useful for comparing weather between locations?
Range shows which location has more variable weather. A coastal city might have a small temperature range (moderate climate) while an inland desert might have a large daily range (hot days, cold nights).
Is range the same as average temperature?
No. Range describes the spread between extreme values. Average describes the typical middle value. Both are useful but answer different questions about the data.