Picture Graphs: Showing What We Found

← Previous2 of 2

What this lesson covers

  • A picture graph shows how many there are in each category.
  • Every picture is the same size and stands for the same amount.
  • The longest row has the most; the shortest row has the least.
  • A graph helps tell the story of the data.
Key idea

What is a picture graph?

  • A picture graph uses one picture for each answer.
  • Each category gets its own row or column.
  • Count the pictures to find how many.
Worked example

Make one from a tally

  • We asked: how do you get to school?
  • One ● for each child.
WayTallyPicture graph
walk||||/ |● ● ● ● ● ●
car||||/ |||● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
bus|||● ● ●
bike||||● ● ● ●
Key idea

Try it: change the counts

Key idea

Keep the pictures the same

  • Every picture must be the same size.
  • Line them up neatly, starting from the same place.
  • Then a longer row really means more.
Worked example

Read the graph

  • Count each row to get its frequency: how many.
  • The longest row is the most. The shortest is the least.
QuestionAnswer
How many walk?6
How many come by car?8
Which way has the most?car
Which way has the least?bus
How many children in all?21
Key idea

Try it: which way to school?

Key idea

The story of the data

  • The graph tells us most children in our class come by car.
  • The fewest come by bus.
  • A graph helps you see this quickly, without reading every answer.

Common mistakes

  • Drawing some pictures bigger than others.
    Keep every picture the same size, or a row can look longer than it really is.
  • Rows that start in different places.
    Start every row at the same line, so you can compare them fairly.
  • The first row always has the most.
    The longest row has the most. Count to check.
  • Leaving out a category with only one answer.
    Show every category, even small ones.

Your turn

  • 1. How many children chose cat?
  • 2. Which pet has the most votes?
  • 3. Which pet has the least votes?
  • 4. How many more children chose dog than cat?
  • 5. How many children voted altogether?
our class's favourite pets
PetVotes (● = 1 child)
dog● ● ● ● ● ●
cat● ● ● ●
fish● ●
bird● ● ●
1
2
3
4
5
Show answer

1. 4 2. Dog 3. Fish 4. 2 5. 15

Summary

What to take away

  • One picture for each answer, all the same size.
  • Count each row to find how many.
  • Longest row: most. Shortest row: least.
Report a mistake

More in Statistics

Asking Questions and Making Tally ChartsNotesPicture Graphs: Showing What We FoundNotes

Is your child on track?

Take the free placement test