Topics
10. Data
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AustraliaNSW
Stage 2

10.03 Column Graphs

Lesson
Practice
Lesson

Are you ready?

Can you read information from  picture graphs  ?

Examples

Example 1

A poll was taken to find people's favorite cupcake flavors. The votes are shown in the picture graph.

This image shows a picture graph. Ask your teacher for more information.
a

How many people voted for Strawberry?

Worked Solution
Create a strategy

Use the pictures in the table to find the number of votes.

The image says Remember that a cupcake represents 3 votes.
Apply the idea

There are 3 cupcakes next to strawberry. Since each cupcake represents 3 votes, we need to find 3 lots of 3.

\displaystyle \text{Votes}\displaystyle =\displaystyle 3\times 3Multiply 3 by 3
\displaystyle =\displaystyle 9

9 people voted for Strawberry.

b

What was the most popular cupcake flavor?

A
Chocolate chip
B
Strawberry
C
Banana
Worked Solution
Create a strategy

Choose the flavor that has the most cupcakes next to it.

Apply the idea

Chocolate Chip has the most cupcakes.

Chocolate Chip is the most popular cupcake flavor.

So the correct answer is option A.

Idea summary

Look for the key to know the value of each picture in a picture graph.

Create and read column graphs

Let's learn more about how to create and read column graphs.

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Examples

Example 2

This table shows the number of badges five students sold for a local charity.

StudentsNumber of badges
\text{Derek}70
\text{William}65
\text{Frank}75
\text{Sandy}60
\text{Tara}65
a

Create a column graph which shows the number of badges by student.

This image shows an empty graph about number of badges sold by 5 students. Ask your teacher for more information.
Worked Solution
Create a strategy

Use the table to know how high each column should go.

Note that the ticks on the vertical axis go up by 5s not 1s.

Apply the idea

When drawing each column, the tick for the name should be in the center of the column. Each column should be the same width. There should be gaps between each column.

From the table, Derek sold 70 badges. So the column above Derek's name should go up to 70. We can use the same method for the rest of the columns.

The column graph shows the number of badges 5 students sold. Ask your teacher for more information.
b

Which student sold the same number of badges as Tara?

A
Frank
B
Derek
C
William
Worked Solution
Create a strategy

Look for another column which has the same height as Tara's column.

Apply the idea

Looking at the column graph, we can see that William's column has the same height as Tara's.

So the correct answer is option C.

Idea summary

Check the scale on a column graph. The ticks or marks may not always be worth 1.

Outcomes

MA2-18SP

selects appropriate methods to collect data, and constructs, compares, interprets and evaluates data displays, including tables, picture graphs and column graphs M

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