Interpret Tables and Charts
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What you will learn
- 1Read and compare data in tables and charts
- 2Answer questions using information from tables, tally charts, and bar charts
Mini Lesson
Tables and charts organize data so we can read and compare information quickly. A table uses rows and columns. A tally chart records data with tally marks. A bar chart uses bars of different heights. All three let us answer questions about data — finding the most, the least, totals, and differences.
Reading a Table
- Find the row for the category you need.
- Move across to the column for the value you want.
- To find the total, add values from the required rows.
- To compare, subtract the smaller value from the larger.
Reading a Bar Chart
- Look at the label on the x-axis (horizontal) to find the category.
- Read the height of the bar against the y-axis (vertical) scale.
- The tallest bar = most; the shortest bar = least.
- Subtract bar values to find differences between categories.
Words to know
Table
A grid of rows and columns that shows data
e.g. The table shows weather for each day.
Chart
A picture or graph that shows information clearly
e.g. A chart helps me read the data fast.
Row
A line of data going across a table
e.g. Each row in the table is one day.
Column
A line of data going up and down a table
e.g. The temperature column shows degrees.
Interpret
To read a chart and understand what it means
e.g. I interpret the table to find the warmest day.
Total
The full amount when you add all rows or columns
e.g. I added the totals to get 30 votes.
When answering questions from a chart or table, always find and re-read the exact values before calculating. Do not rely on memory.
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