Interpreting data graphs

Read values off pie charts, bar graphs, histograms, and pictograms, and use them to draw conclusions (comparisons, totals, percentages) -- not to construct the displays, which sits in the more granular pie/pictogram and bar/histogram LOs. Includes an introductory sample-versus-census discussion as a lead-in to why data is displayed graphically.

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Learning objective overview

Master Teaching Guide coverage for this objective.

Current NZC (2007)
  • S4-1
  • GM4-4
New NZC (2026)
  • NZC26-P4-STA-VIS-K-Y9-01
  • NZC26-P3-STA-INT-K-Y7-03
  • NZC26-P3-STA-INT-P-Y7-02

Resources

Terminology

  • Sample
  • Census
  • Axis (x-axis, y-axis)
  • Scale
  • Key / Legend
  • Sector
  • Frequency
  • Continuous vs. Discrete Data

Task goals

  • Read a single value directly off a bar graph, histogram, pie chart, or pictogram (using its key).
  • Compare categories or classes within one display to find the most/least common, or the modal class of a histogram.
  • Find a total, a difference, a percentage, or a fraction from a chart's values, including combining more than one bar or class.
  • Distinguish a bar graph (discrete/categorical data, gaps between bars) from a histogram (continuous/grouped data, bars touching).
  • Explain the difference between a sample and a census, and why a well-chosen sample can give a reliable conclusion without surveying an entire population.

Where this fits

What leads into this objective, and where it goes next.

Before

Constructing and Selecting Statistical Displays

Constructing and Selecting Statistical Displays

You are here

Interpreting data graphs

Interpreting data graphs

Know

A distribution is formed from all the possible values of a variable and their frequencies. It can be shown using data visualisations that show patterns, trends, and variations and that include dot plots, bar graphs, frequency tables, box plots, histograms, time-series graphs, scatter plots, and two-way tables.

Statement▸
Year 9 · Statistics · Visualisation of data
NZC26-P4-STA-VIS-K-Y9-01

Next

Selecting appropriate displays

Selecting appropriate displays

Interpreting data from Scatter plot - TARSOG

Interpreting data from Scatter plot - TARSOG

Analysing scatter plots (i.e. bivariate) - TARSOG

Analysing scatter plots (i.e. bivariate) - TARSOG

Also under S4-1:

Also under GM4-4:

Explore the whole sequence →

For teachers

Need the fuller teaching notes for this objective? Open the Teacher guidance PDF.