The pattern
Read and complete data displays
Read the title and labels, locate the relevant values, then compare or complete only what the question asks.
A picture graph swaps numbers for symbols, so before adding anything up, look at what one symbol stands for. Sometimes a circle means one banana, sometimes a key at the side says one circle stands for two. Count the symbols in the row asked about, then multiply by whatever the key says one symbol is worth.
How to spot it
The question shows a picture graph with rows of circles or icons. A key nearby says how many items one symbol stands for.
Common mistake
Children count the symbols correctly but forget to check the key, so they treat every symbol as one item even when it stands for two or more.
16 worked solutions
Standard
- complete a data table The shown table has a total of 52 books. Complete the Thursday entry.
- complete a data table The shown table has a total of 66 books. Complete the Thursday entry.
- extract bar-graph data The shown bar graph records 16 Apples, 11 Bananas and 20 Cherries. Which fruit has the greatest value?
- extract bar-graph data The shown bar graph records 12 Apples, 18 Bananas and 15 Cherries. Which fruit has the greatest value?
- interpret an axis scale The shown graph uses 5 units per interval; the Bananas bar reaches 6 intervals. What value does Bananas show?
- interpret an axis scale The shown graph uses 5 units per interval; the Bananas bar reaches 7 intervals. What value does Bananas show?
- read a line graph Using the shown line graph, how many more books were read on Wednesday than on Monday?
- read a line graph Using the shown line graph, how many more books were read on Wednesday than on Monday?
- read a pie chart What fraction of the whole circle is the Reading slice in the shown pie chart?
- read a pie chart What fraction of the whole circle is the Sport slice in the shown pie chart?
- read a scaled picture graph In the shown picture graph, the Bananas row has 5 circles and each circle represents 2 fruits. How many Bananas are shown?
- read a scaled picture graph In the shown picture graph, the Bananas row has 2 circles and each circle represents 2 fruits. How many Bananas are shown?
- read a table On which day does the shown table record the greatest number of books?
- read a table On which day does the shown table record the greatest number of books?
- read an unscaled picture graph The shown picture graph has 2 circles in the Bananas row. Each circle means one fruit. How many Bananas are shown?
- read an unscaled picture graph The shown picture graph has 5 circles in the Bananas row. Each circle means one fruit. How many Bananas are shown?
All the problem patterns → · the revision list
The 33 problem patterns
All 33 patterns, one to a page — the 19 behind Primary 5 and 6 word problems, and the skills the younger years are built on. The bar model, how to spot it in the question, and the mistake children make. A booklet you can print. Free.
A PDF, and a note when new solutions go up.