Collect it, picture it, read it. Read a little, then play. Clear all six games!
What it is
Data is a collection of facts, like everyone's favourite colour. We organise it in a table, often using tally marks, where every fifth mark crosses the group of four.
Why it works
Grouping the marks in fives makes them quick to count. You count in fives and then add the few leftover marks.
Why it matters
Organised data is easy to read and compare, which is the whole point of collecting it.
A few examples
A crossed group of four marks means 5. Seven items are one group of five and two more.
What it is
The frequency of a value is how many times it appears in the data.
Why it works
You simply count each item of one kind, and that count is its frequency. Do this for each kind and you have organised the whole data set.
Why it matters
Frequencies let you say which is the most popular or the least, at a glance.
A few examples
In red, blue, red, red, blue the frequency of red is 3 and of blue is 2.
What it is
A pictograph shows data using a symbol, where one symbol stands for a fixed number, given in a key or scale.
Why it works
You count the symbols in a row and multiply by what one symbol is worth. So 3 stars, each worth 5, means 3 × 5 = 15.
Why it matters
Pictures make data friendly and quick to compare, as long as you remember the scale.
A few examples
If one ★ = 10, then four stars show 40. Half a symbol shows half the value.
What it is
A bar graph shows data as bars, where the height of each bar stands for its value.
Why it works
The taller the bar, the bigger the value, so you can compare amounts just by looking at the heights.
Why it matters
Bar graphs make it very easy to see the largest, the smallest and the differences between groups.
A few examples
If the bar for maths is taller than the bar for art, more people chose maths. The tallest bar is the most popular.
What it is
The scale tells you what one square, or step, on the graph stands for. A scale of 1 square = 5 means each square is worth 5.
Why it works
To read a bar, count its squares and multiply by the scale. To draw one, divide the value by the scale to get the number of squares.
Why it matters
The right scale lets large data fit neatly on the page and keeps every bar a fair size.
A few examples
With 1 square = 5, a bar of 4 squares shows 20. To show 30, you draw 6 squares.
What it is
Once data is in a table or graph, we read it to answer questions: the total, the most common value (the mode), or how many more one group has than another.
Why it works
You find the values you need, then add them for a total, compare them for the biggest, or subtract them for a difference.
Why it matters
Reading data well helps you make good choices, from planning a party to understanding the news.
A few examples
If red is 5 and blue is 2, red has 3 more. The value that appears most often is the mode.
Have a go on paper first, then tap to see the clear steps.
Q1. A tally shows one full group of five with two more marks. How many is that?
Q2. In red, blue, red, red, blue, what is the frequency of red?
Q3. In a pictograph, one ★ = 5. A row has 4 stars. How many is that?
Q4. On a bar graph the maths bar is 8 and the art bar is 3. How many more chose maths?
Q5. The scale is 1 square = 5. A bar is 6 squares tall. What value is that?
Q6. In the data 3, 5, 3, 2, 3, which value appears most often (the mode)?