Representing and

interpreting data

Contents

D3 Representing and interpreting data

D3.1 Bar charts

D3.2 Pie charts

D3.3 Frequency diagrams
D3.4 Line graphs
D3.5 Scatter graphs
D3.6 Comparing data

Bar charts for categorical data

Bar charts can be used to display categorical or nonnumerical data.
For example, this bar graph shows how a group of children
travel to school.

Bar charts for discrete data

Bar charts can be used to display discrete numerical data.
For example, this bar graph shows the number of CDs
bought by a group of children in a given month.

Bar charts for grouped discrete data

Bar charts can be used to display grouped discrete data.
For example, this bar graph shows the number of books
read by a sample of people over the space of a year.

Bar charts for two sets of data

Two or more sets of data can be shown on a bar chart.
For example, this bar chart shows favourite subjects for a
group of boys and girls.

Bar line graphs

Bar line graphs are the same as bar charts except that lines
are drawn instead of bars.
For example, this bar line graph shows a set of test results.

Drawing bar charts

When drawing bar chart remember:
Give the bar chart a title.
Use equal intervals on the axes.
Label both the axes.
Leave a gap between each bar.

Drawing bar charts

Use the data in the frequency table to complete a bar chart
showing the number of students absent from school from
each year group on a particular day.
Year

Number of
absences

74

53

32

10

11

11

10

Contents

D3 Representing and interpreting data

D3.1 Bar charts
D3.2 Pie charts

D3.3 Frequency diagrams

D3.4 Line graphs
D3.5 Scatter graphs
D3.6 Comparing data

Pie charts
A pie chart is a circle divided up into sectors which are
representative of the data.
In a pie chart, each category is shown as a fraction of the
circle.
For example, in a
survey half the people
asked drove to work, a
quarter walked and a
quarter went by bus.

Pie charts
This pie chart shows the distribution of drinks sold in a
cafeteria on a particular day.
Drinks sold in a cafeteria

coffee
soft drinks
tea

Altogether 300 drinks were

sold.
Estimate the number of
each type of drink sold.
Coffee:

75

Soft drinks: 50
Tea:

175

Drawing pie charts

To draw a pie chart you need a compass and a protractor.
The first step is to work out the angle needed to represent
each category in the pie chart.
There are two ways to do this.
The first is to work out how many degrees are needed
to represent each person or thing in the sample.
The second method is to work out what fraction of the
total we want to represent and multiply this by 360
degrees.

Drawing pie charts

For example, 30 people were asked which newspapers they
read regularly.
The results were :
Newspaper

Number of people

The Guardian

Daily Mirror

The Times

The Sun

Daily Express

Drawing pie charts

Method 1
There are 30 people in the survey and 360 in a full pie chart.
Each person is therefore represented by 360 30 = 12
We can now calculate the angle for each category:
Newspaper

No of people

Working

Angle

The Guardian

8 12

96

Daily Mirror

7 12

84

The Times

3 12

36

The Sun

6 12

72

Daily Express

6 12

72

Total

30

360

Drawing pie charts

Method 2
Write each category as a fraction of the whole and find this
fraction of 360.
8 out of the 30 people in the survey read The Guardian so
to work out the size of the sector we calculate
8 360 = 96
30
7 out of the 30 people in the survey read the Daily Mirror so
to work out the size of the sector we calculate
7 360 = 84
30

Drawing pie charts

Method 2
These calculations can be written into the table.
Newspaper

No of people

The Guardian

Daily Mirror

The Times

The Sun

Daily Express

Total

30

Working
8
30
7
30
3
30
6
30
6
30

Angle

360

96

360

84

360

36

360

72

360

72
360

Drawing pie charts

Once the angles have been calculated you can draw the pie
chart.
Start by drawing a circle using
a compass.
The Daily
The
Express
Guardian
Draw a radius.
72 96
Measure an angle of 96 from
72
the radius using a protractor
84
The Sun
36 The Daily
and label the sector.
Mirror
The
Measure an angle of 84 from
Times
the the last line you drew and
label the sector.
Repeat for each sector until the pie chart is complete.

Drawing pie charts

Use the data in the frequency table to complete the pie chart
showing the favourite colours of a sample of people.
Favourite
colour

No of
people

Red

10

Yellow

Blue

14

Green

Purple

Total

36

Drawing pie charts

Use the data in the frequency table to complete the pie chart
showing the holiday destinations of a sample of people.
Holiday
destination

No of
people

UK

74

Europe

53

America

32

Asia

11

Other

10

Total

180

Reading pie charts

The following pie chart shows the favourite crisp flavours of
72 children.

Prawn
cocktail
55

Smokey
bacon
35

Salt and
135
vinegar 85
50
Cheese
and
onion

Ready
salted

How many children preferred

ready salted crisps?
The proportion of children who
preferred ready salted is:
135
= 0.375
360
The number of children who
preferred ready salted is:
0.375 72 = 27

Contents

D3 Representing and interpreting data

D3.1 Bar charts
D3.2 Pie charts
D3.3 Frequency diagrams

D3.4 Line graphs

D3.5 Scatter graphs
D3.6 Comparing data

Frequency diagrams
Frequency diagrams are used to display grouped
continuous data.
For example, this frequency diagram shows the distribution of
heights in a group of Year 8 pupils:
Heights of Year 8 pupils
35

Frequency

30
25
20

The divisions
between the bars
are labelled.

15
10
5
0
140

145

150

155

160

Height (cm)

165

170

175

Drawing frequency diagrams

Use the data in the frequency table to complete the frequency
diagram showing the time pupils spent watching TV on a
particular evening:
Time spent
(hours)

Number
of people

0h<1
1h<2
2h<3
3h<4
4h<5
h5

4
6
8
5
3
1

Contents

D3 Representing and interpreting data

D3.1 Bar charts
D3.2 Pie charts
D3.3 Frequency diagrams
D3.4 Line graphs

D3.5 Scatter graphs

D3.6 Comparing data

Line graphs
Line graphs are most often used to show trends over time.
For example, this line graph shows the temperature in
London, in C, over a 12-hour period.

Temperature (C)

Temperature in London
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm

Time

Line graphs
This line graph compares the percentage of boys and girls
gaining A* to C passes at GCSE in a particular school.
Percentage of boys and girls gaining A* to C passes at GCSE
70
60
50
40

Girls
Boys

30
20
10
0
1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

What trends are shown by this graph?

Drawing line graphs

This data shows the weight of a child taken every birthday.
Plot the points on the graph and join them with straight lines.
Age
(years)

Weight
(kg)

9.5

12.0

14.2

16.3

18.4

Contents

D3 Representing and interpreting data

D3.1 Bar charts
D3.2 Pie charts
D3.3 Frequency diagrams
D3.4 Line graphs
D3.5 Scatter graphs

D3.6 Comparing data

Scatter graphs
We can use scatter graphs to find out if there is any
relationship or correlation between two set of data.
Handspan (cm)

18

16

20

15

16

21

19

17

20

18

Foot length (cm)

24

21

28

20

22

30

25

22

27

23

Scatter graphs and correlation

We can use scatter graphs to find out if there is any
relationship or correlation between two sets of data.
For example,
Do tall people weigh more than small people?
If there is more rain, will it be colder?
If you revise longer, will you get better marks?
Do second-hand car get cheaper with age?
Is more electricity used in cold weather?
Are people with big heads better at maths?

Scatter graphs and correlation

When one variable increases as the other variable
increases, we have a positive correlation.

Length of spring (cm)

For example, this scatter

graph shows that there is a
strong positive correlation
between the length of a
spring and the mass of an
object attached to it.
The points lie close to an
upward sloping line.
This is the line of best fit.
Mass attached to spring (g)

Scatter graphs and correlation

Sometimes the points in the graph are more scattered.
We can still see a trend upwards.

Science score

This scatter graph shows

that there is a weak
positive correlation
between scores in a maths
test and scores in a
science test.
The points are scattered
above and below a line of
best fit.
Maths score

Scatter graphs and correlation

When one variable decreases as the other variable increases,
we have a negative correlation.

Temperature(C)

For example, this scatter

graph shows that there is a
strong negative
correlation between
rainfall and hours of
sunshine.
The points lie close to a
downward sloping line of
best fit.
Rainfall (mm)

Scatter graphs and correlation

Sometimes the points in the graph are more scattered.

Outdoor temperature (C)

We can still see a trend

downwards.

Electricity used (kWh)

For example, this

scatter graph shows
that there is a weak
negative correlation
between the
temperature and the
amount of electricity
a family used.

Scatter graphs and correlation

Sometimes a scatter graph shows that there is no
correlation between two variables.
Number of hours worked

For example, this

scatter graph shows
that there is a no
correlation between
a persons age and
the number of hours
they work a week.
The points are randomly
distributed.
Age (years)

Plotting scatter graphs

This table shows the temperature on 10 days and the
number of ice creams a shop sold. Plot the scatter graph.
Temperature (C)

14

16

20

19

23

21

25

22

18

18

Ice creams sold

10

14

20

22

19

22

30

15

16

19

Plotting scatter graphs

We can use scatter graphs to find out if there is any
relationship or correlation between two set of data.
Hours watching TV

3.5

Hours doing homework 2.5 0.5 0.5

1.5 2.5
3

0.5

Contents

D3 Representing and interpreting data

D3.1 Bar charts
D3.2 Pie charts
D3.3 Frequency diagrams
D3.4 Line graphs
D3.5 Scatter graphs
D3.6 Comparing data

Comparing distributions
The distribution of a set of data describes how the data is
spread out.
Two distributions can be compared using one of the three
averages and the range.
For example, the number of cars sold by two salesmen each
day for a week is shown below.
Matt

Jamie

12

Who is the better salesman?

Comparing distributions
Matt

Jamie

12

To decide which salesman is best lets compare the mean

number cars sold by each one.
Matt:
44
5+7+6+5+7+8+6
=
Mean =
= 6.3 (to 1 d.p.)
7
7
Jamie:
3 + 6 + 4 + 8 + 12 + 9 + 8
50
Mean =
=
= 7.1 (to 1 d.p.)
7
7
This tells us that, on average, Jamie sold more cars each day.

Comparing distributions
Matt

Jamie

12

Now lets compare the range for each salesman.

Matt:
Range = 8 5 = 3
Jamie:
Range = 12 3 = 9
The range for the number of cars sold each day is smaller for
Matt. This means that he is a more consistent or reliable
salesman.
We could argue that Jamie is better because he sells more
on average, or that Matt is better because he is more
consistent.

Comparing the shape of distributions

We can comparing distributions by looking at the shape of
their graphs.
This distribution
is symmetrical
(or normal).

This distribution
is skewed to
the left.

This distribution
is skewed to
the right.

This distribution
is random.

Comparing the shape of distributions

Four groups of pupils sat the same maths test. These graphs
show the results.

1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50

1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50

Group D
Frequency

Group C
Frequency

Group B
Frequency

Frequency

Group A

1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50

1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50

One of the groups is a top set, one is a middle set, one is a

bottom set and one is a mixed ability group.
Use the shapes of the distribution to decide which
group is which giving reasons for your choice.