Selecting appropriate displays

Match a data-collection scenario to the most appropriate statistical display (bar graph, pie chart, pictogram, histogram, line graph / time series, dot plot, scatter plot, or box-and-whisker graph) by reasoning about the nature of the data (categorical vs numerical, individual values vs grouped intervals, a single variable vs a relationship between two, a snapshot vs change over time) and justify the choice.

Worksheet Builder All resources ☕ Shout us a flat white Download All

Te reo Māori terms

click each term to open in Te Aka

Learning objective overview

Master Teaching Guide coverage for this objective.

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

Resources

Terminology

  • Statistical display
  • Bar graph
  • Pie chart
  • Pictogram
  • Histogram
  • Line graph / Time series
  • Dot plot
  • Scatter plot
  • Box-and-whisker graph
  • Categorical data
  • Continuous data
  • Discrete data

Task goals

  • Match categorical data (e.g. favourite colour, sport, mode of travel) to a bar graph or pie chart, and justify the choice.
  • Match numerical data grouped into equal intervals to a histogram, distinguishing it from a bar graph by its lack of gaps between bars.
  • Match data collected over time to a line graph (time series), and match small sets of individual whole-number values to a dot plot.
  • Recognise when a pictogram (repeated icons) or a scatter plot (relationship between two variables) is the appropriate choice.
  • Choose a box-and-whisker graph to compare the median and interquartile range of two or more groups.
  • Explain, using a feature of the data, why one display is more appropriate than another for a given scenario.

Where this fits

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

You are here

Selecting appropriate displays

Selecting appropriate displays

Know

Data visualisations need to be critically assessed to see if they support or misrepresent the data.

Statement▸
Year 9 · Statistics · Interpretation of data
NZC26-P4-STA-INT-K-Y9-03
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

Explore the whole sequence →