Use a table to organise values
A table shows each category and its value clearly before you make a graph.
| Day | Books read |
|---|---|
| Mon | 3 |
| Tue | 5 |
| Wed | 4 |
| Thu | 6 |
Read the labels and values together.
Year 4
Interpret and present discrete and continuous data using appropriate graphical methods, including bar charts and time graphs
Read and present data clearly using tables, bar charts and simple time-based graphs.
Lesson overview
Statistics
Data can be organised in tables and shown in charts to make comparison easier. A bar chart helps compare categories, and a time graph helps show how something changes over time.
Use a bar chart to compare
Longer bars show larger values.
Compare the bar lengths and numbers.
Use time order in a time graph
Time labels help you notice how the data changes.
Time order matters
Read across the times to see how the value changes.
Look for increase, decrease or steady change.
Worked example
Which day had the greatest number of books read?
| Day | Books read |
|---|---|
| Mon | 3 |
| Tue | 5 |
| Wed | 4 |
| Thu | 6 |
- Read each value in the table.
- Mon has 3, Tue has 5, Wed has 4 and Thu has 6.
- 6 is the greatest value.
- So Thursday had the greatest number.
Round 1: Learn it
Read the labels and values carefully before comparing or presenting the data.
Finish this round to unlock Round 2: Show you know it.
Question 1
Which day has the tallest bar?
Question 2
How many books were read on Tuesday?
| Day | Books read |
|---|---|
| Mon | 3 |
| Tue | 5 |
| Wed | 4 |
Question 3
What value is shown at 12:00 on the time graph?
Time order matters
Read across the times to see how the value changes.
Question 4
Which graph is most useful for showing change over time?
Time order matters
Read across the times to see how the value changes.
Question 5
Which reminder is correct?
Common mistakes
Watch for these as you work through the lesson.
- Reading the category but not the value.
- Ignoring the time order on a time graph.
- Comparing bars without checking the labels.
Related topics
These ideas connect closely to this lesson.
- Solve comparison, sum and difference problems using information presented in bar charts, pictograms, tables and other graphs.
- Describe positions on a 2-D grid as coordinates in the first quadrant.