AI Tutor
Imagine you have eight snack bags of trail mix, but none of them have the same amount of chocolate chips inside!
A line plot is a number line that uses dots or X\text{X} marks to show how many times each measurement occurs.
How much trail mix do we have if we dump every single bag into one giant bowl?

Adding Up the Total

To find the total amount, we multiply each fraction by the number of dots stacked above it, then add those values together.
For example, 3 bags each weighing 38 lb\frac{3}{8}\text{ lb} give us 3×38=98 lb3 \times \frac{3}{8} = \frac{9}{8}\text{ lb}.
A common mistake is adding the numbers on the number line instead of counting the dots. Always remember: each dot is one real object!
What if you want to know the difference between the heaviest snack bag and the lightest one?

Finding the Difference

To find the difference, subtract the smallest measurement that has a dot from the largest measurement that has a dot.
On our plot, the heaviest bag is 68 lb\frac{6}{8}\text{ lb} and the lightest is 18 lb\frac{1}{8}\text{ lb}, so 68−18=58 lb\frac{6}{8} - \frac{1}{8} = \frac{5}{8}\text{ lb}.