Introduction

Graphs are essential part of our everyday life. They provide valuable information and without graphs we would be lost in a lot of confusing data. Graphs are used in almost every subject and drawing and interpreting graphs pose some difficulties for most students. There are important decisions that can be made every day depending on what a graph can tell us and what happened around us in the world can be summarised between two axes.

Zani Alam

Graphs
Graphing is a special recording skill. Using graphs is a way of showing a picture or drawing of some information. Graphs make the information easier to understand and use. They help us as well understand and interpret our observations and make comparison by visually displaying data. There are many types of graphs. Each type is best used to show different forms of information. Before we can graph a given set of data we should first decide which type of graph is appropriate for summarising that data. Graphs can help you to: 1- Understand what is happening in your data (analysis) 2- See trends in different variables (interpretation) 3- See how one factor affects another (correlation) 4- Communicate information to other people.

The main types of graphs used in class

Type of graphs Column graph and histogram Line graph

Form of information
Groups of things that have been measured or counted. Two quantities that have been measured or counted. One is usually the time. Percentages or proportions of different things that make up a whole.

Why they are used

Used to compare things.

Example
Languages spoken in Australia.

Used to show trends or The growth of a plant. changes over time.

Sector graph or Pie graph

Used to compare the World energy relative sizes of things. production.

Origin of the words graph and data

Graph

Data

From the Greek word Graphos

Related words
Chart From the Greek word datum

From the Latin word Datum

A graph is a drawing

Something drawn Graphical record orDiagram written

Telegraph Phonograph Mammography Photograph Graphical Pie graph Line graph Sector graph

Graph
There many types of graphs

The word graph reminds me of:

A graph gives us information

From the Latin word Datum means to give

DATA
Information

Interpreting graphs
In order to interpret a graph there are a number of important parts that you must be able to identify and read. Most graphs will have a: a- Title: this gives you a short explanation of what the graph is about. b- Horizontal axis: this is a line running across the graph. It has a label beneath it. It may have a scale. c- Vertical axis: this is a line running up the side of a graph. It has a label next to it. It may have a scale. d- The scales: the scales on horizontal or vertical axes are similar to the scales found on many measuring instruments. A scale is a series of numbers that are increasing or decreasing by the same amount. Part of the skill of interpreting a graph is reading the scales on the axes. Each scale will be labelled with the unit of measurement that has been used. In addition some graphs will have a: e- Source: this tells you where the information has come from. f- Key: this explains any symbols used in the graph.

Remember A scale is a series of numbers that are increasing or decreasing by the same amount.

Line graphs
Line graphs usually show a connected series of data. Unlike column graphs, they allow us to estimate data between the points that are plotted. Line graphs are used when two quantities have been measured. These quantities are called variables. A line graph is used to show the relationship between two variables. A variable is something that is continually changing. Often one of the variables is time. A line graph has two lines or axes. One is the horizontal axis which goes from side to side. The other is the vertical axis which goes up and down. The independent variable usually goes on the horizontal axis. The dependent variable goes on the vertical axis. Line graphs are used to show continuous data, that is, data in which the values follow on from each other.

When to draw a line graph

A line graph is often used to represent a set of data values in which a quantity varies with time. These graphs are useful for finding trends. That is finding a general pattern in data sets including temperature, sales, employment, company profit or cost over a period of time.

Some examples where a line graph is the best to use

1. The influence of fertilizers on plant growth. 2. How heat affect the solubility of sugar 3. The growth of an organism over a lifetime. 4. The relationship between the speed of a car and its stopping distance. 5. Distance covered by a runner in 15 seconds. 6. Heating water in a beaker and recording the temperature every two or ten minutes. 7. The change of a persons weight over various years.
Remember The independent

variable usually goes on the horizontal axis.

Things you should follow before drawing a line graph

1- Use graph paper 2- Use a pencil and a ruler 3- Draw in the two axes with a ruler 4- Put the independent variable on the horizontal axis 5- Scales increase upwards and from left to right 6- Scales on each axis should go up evenly 7- Adjust the scale to fit the range of the data 8- Give your graph a title 9- Label both axes with the name of the variable and the unit. 10- Plot the points accurately with a small x or . 11- Use a key with plotting symbols if you plot several lines.

Determine a Scale
Determining the scale and labelling the axes with numbers present difficulty for many students. The scales should start with 0 and climb based on intervals such as: multiples of 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, or 100. Start with the horizontal scale. If you are using graph paper, let 1 unit on the graph paper equal 1 unit of the values you are graphing. Determine whether the greatest value will fit on the graph. If it doesn't, then change the scale and try again. Now repeat this process for the vertical scale.

Remember

Use a pencil and a ruler

How to construct a line graph

1- Draw the axes

Vertical axis

2- Identify the axes: the horizontal axis goes from side to side. The vertical axis goes up and down. (Remember Y to the sky). 3- Identify the dependent and the independent variables : the independent variable usually goes on the horizontal axis, called x-axis. The dependent variable goes on the vertical axis or y-axis. (Dependent variable: what is observed and measured. Independent variable: what is changed by the experimenter).
Refer to the online presentation variables and graph session 1, available on the website: www.zanieducation.com

Dependent variable Independent variable

variable the axes: after deciding on the variable for each axis, label the axes 4- Labelling

5-

6-

78-

with the variable and the units in which the variables are measured. The units are written after the name of the variable and should be written between brackets: (cm). Setting up the scale: decide on an appropriate scale for each axis. The scale refers to the minimum and maximum numbers used on each scale. Each axis should be marked off with units that cover the entire range of the measurement. The minimum and maximum numbers used for the scale should be a little lower than the lowest value and a little higher than the highest value. The distance between top and bottom values is broken up into equal divisions. Each axis has its own range of values and uniform scale. Putting in the values: a point is made for each pair of values by drawing an imaginary line from each axis and then drawing a dot at the intersection point (the meeting point). Drawing the line: plot the points with a small dot or x then draw a line through the points. Title: the title should be selected to clearly but briefly tell what the graph is about. Your graph title should start with: Graph of .
Refer to the online presentation variables and graph session 2. 7

Line graph Line graphs are useful for showing how things change over time. Title

Graph of the effect of temperature on the amount of salt dissolved

Unit

Dependent variable The scale on the vertical axis is going up by 50 Jump= 50 Spaces= 2 Each line =50/2= 25

Horizontal axis

Unit

The scale on the axis is going up by 20

Jump= 20 Spaces= 2 Each line =20/2= 10

Independent variable

Column graph and horizontal column graph

Horizontal column graphs have a series of horizontal blocks, while column graphs have a series of vertical blocks. Basically a horizontal column graph is a column graph turned on its side. Column graphs and horizontal column graphs can be distinguished from histograms because the blocks always have gaps between them, while histograms have no gaps. Histograms also group numbers into ranges.

Use of column graphs

A column graph is used to show relationships between groups. The two items being compared do not need to affect each other. It is a fast way to show big differences. Column graphs are an excellent way to show results that are one time, that aren't continuous - especially samplings such as surveys.

How to construct a column graph

Column graphs are drawn with parallel columns placed vertically. The width of each bar and the spacing between the bars are kept the same to avoid giving a misleading representation. The columns or bars can be used to show what is happening with one thing or they can be divided into sections to represent several parts. The column can be drawn spaced evenly or apart or together in groups. 1- Place numbers on the vertical axis. Non-numerical groups are placed on the horizontal axis. 2- Draw two axes: one vertical and one horizontal. Make sure you leave room at the edge of the page for your labels. 3- Columns should be of the same width and should not touch at all. 4- Arrange categories from smallest to largest if appropriate. 5- Label each axis. 6- The scale should go up evenly and cover the largest and smallest values. 7- Include scientific units where appropriate. 8- Include a title to explain what the graph is about. Your title should start with: Graph of..
Refer to the online presentation on Column graph.

Remember Place numbers on the vertical axis.

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Title nnnnn

Month of birth

Summer: D,J,F Autumn: M,A,M Winter: J,J,A Spring: S,O,N

All columns should have the same width

1 cm

Numbers are placed on the vertical axis

4 3 2 1

0 Seasons
A gap at the start which is half of the column width (0.5 cm or 5mm)

The spacing between the columns is kept the same

The horizontal axis (going across) shows the items

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Histogram

Title

Graph of maths test scores by students

No gaps between columns

Frequency is shown on the vertical axis

Age

There is a half column gap All columns have the same width

The scores are shown on the horizontal axis

There is a half column gap

Source: Connections Maths 9 Stage 5.2/5.1 A.Kalra, J.Stamell

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Sector graphs
Sector graphs are also called pie charts or pie graphs. A sector graph is best used for showing percentages. It shows parts of a whole. Sector graphs are useful to compare different parts of a whole amount and are often used to present financial information. A sector graph is a circular chart. Each quantity is graphed as a sector of the circle. The size of the sector depends on the fraction it is of the whole (a circle is equal to an angle of 360o). When a sector graph is created, each sector is constructed as a fraction of the whole.

How to construct a sector graph

1- Find the whole Find the total value for the items on your graph. This is usually 100% or 1 whole. 2- Find the parts Find exactly what fraction or precent each item represents. Take the quotient of the part and the whole and then change the result to a precent. 3- Find the degrees for each part. Every circle is made up of 360 degrees. To find the angle measure for each item Divide the item by 100 and x 360. 4- Draw the parts. Use a protractor to draw each angle. 5- Label the each sector. 6- Write a title. Be careful not to use too many segments in your sector graph. It will be too crowded if you use more than six. Use this link to learn more about sector graphs and to create a graph online. http://www.mathsisfun.com/data/pie-charts.html

When do we use sector graphs?

Sector graphs are used to compare the parts of a whole. However, they are best used when there are no more than five or six sectors and when the values of the sections are different. Some examples where a sector graph can be used

Type of cars people have Sports played by students Favourite channel Favourite TV show Favourite fruit Air composition Preferred juice
Refer to the online presentation on sector graph.

Remember Sector graphs are

best used when there are no more than five or six sectors.

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Sector graph

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