Bar charts · Usually met around P3
Making bar charts
A full tally gate is 5; squares = amount ÷ what a square stands for.
How to do it
Method
A full tally gate is 5; squares = amount ÷ what a square stands for
Two gates and 2 strokes = 12; at 2 a square, draw 6 squares
Another way
Count in fives
5, 10, 12
In full
First collect the data: for each one counted, add a stroke to that thing's tally — five strokes make a full gate, so 2 gates and 3 strokes are 5 + 5 + 3 = 13. Write the counts in a table. Then choose what one square stands for: look at the biggest number and pick the smallest of 1, 2, 5 and 10 that still fits, so the bars are tall but don't run off the chart. Each bar is the amount ÷ what a square stands for squares tall. Finally check every bar: the number level with its top must match the table.
Worked examples
Have a go first, then open each one for the answer and the working.
Example 1
Look at the tally. How many 🐰 are there?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 11
Each full gate is 5; count on the strokes left over: 11.
Example 2
Write the tally as a table: 🍌 □, 🍪 □, 🐰 □.
Fill in each box
Show the answer and working
Answer: 16，9，3
Five for each full gate, plus the strokes left over: 16, 9, 3.
Example 3
A bar chart can only be 10 squares tall. The biggest amount is 54. To fit every bar but draw them as tall as possible, what should one square stand for?
- A. 2
- B. 5
- C. 10
- D. 1
Choose the right answer
Show the answer and working
Answer: C. 10
10 squares must reach 54: the smallest of 1, 2, 5 and 10 that does is 10.
Practise it in the game →Bar charts · Free to start, unlimited questions, no download