Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Real-Life Connect
Welcome to the age of information. We constantly see large amounts of data presented to us in new and
interesting ways. From the games we play to the items we buy, every observation forms part of a bigger picture.
Look closely at the image of the library. It is more than just a quiet room filled with shelves; it is a perfect
example of why we need to organise information. If you were to list the title of every book or count the number
of books borrowed by students each week, you would have a collection of facts and numbers. This collection
of facts, numbers, or measurements is called data.
To make sense of these facts, we must arrange them systematically. In this chapter, you will learn to collect,
display, and interpret this information correctly. We shall explore how to master these skills using frequency
tables with tally marks, expressive pictographs, and precise bar graphs.
4.1 Collecting and Organising Data
Data handling is an essential part of mathematics. It enables us to use information in a meaningful way and to
interpret it accurately. By learning how to collect, organise, and present facts and figures, we can understand them
more easily and draw sensible conclusions. Good data handling skills help us answer questions, identify patterns,
and make informed decisions in everyday situations.
To find the correct answers to questions such as the ones given Maths Talk
below, we must handle data carefully and systematically:
Which sport is the most popular in your class? The word 'Statistics' comes from the
How many students prefer apples to bananas? Latin word Status, the Italian word
Statista, the German word Statistik, or
What is the temperature like throughout the week?
the French word Statistique. All of these
Data words essentially mean a ‘political state’.
An NGO collected money from several people to support the education of needy children, helping them purchase
books and pay their school fees. The table below presents detailed information about the amounts contributed by
different individuals. This organised display of numbers helps us understand who donated how much and allows
us to compare the contributions easily.
Apart from the table shown above, you must have seen many other tables in your daily life. For example, your class
teacher marks attendance every morning and records it in a tabular format. When you watch a cricket match,
the scorecard you see on the screen presents a large amount of information—runs, wickets, overs, and player
statistics—all arranged neatly in a table. All these organised pieces of information are referred to as data.
The information we collect in its original, unorganised form is called raw data. Raw data is usually scattered and not
arranged in any order, which makes it difficult to interpret quickly. When we arrange this data in either ascending
or descending order, the organised list is known as an array. If we place the data into a table with proper headings
and columns, the process is called the tabulation of data.
Each numerical value or entry in the data is known as an observation.
In simple terms, the word data refers to information collected about certain things for our understanding or use.
Data may be gathered and represented in different forms such as text, images (figures), symbols, graphs, or
tables—depending on what makes it easiest to read and interpret.
From the above table, it is quite time-consuming to work out which option most students prefer. Reading through
each entry one by one does not give us a clear picture straightaway. What really matters here is the number of
students choosing each type of trip.
To simplify the process, we can use a very handy method: each time a student selects a particular trip, we place a
tick mark () beside that option. This allows us to keep a quick running count without repeatedly writing the names
of the trips.
Using this approach, we can reorganise the information into a clearer and more structured table.
The new table, with tick marks showing every preference, is easier to read and helps us immediately identify which
trip is the most popular among the students.
Trip Interested Students Total Students (Frequency)
Hilly Region 8
Zoo 5
Historical Monument 3
The local government of a city is in the process of constructing a new playground where children will be able to
enjoy a variety of sports and outdoor activities. Before planning the layout and deciding which sports facilities to
include, the authorities decided to conduct a survey. The purpose of this survey was to find out the favourite sports
of the children living in the locality, so that the playground could be designed according to their interests and needs.
By gathering this information, the local government can make informed decisions and ensure that the new
playground is both useful and enjoyable for the children who will use it.
Number of Children
Sport Tally Marks
(Frequency)
Badminton 32
Kho-kho 17
Tennis 24
78
In the above table, the symbol ‘|’ is known as a tally mark. Tally marks are a quick way of keeping count, especially
when information is being collected continuously. However, when the data becomes lengthy, counting each tally
mark one by one can be slow and confusing.
To make the process more efficient, tally marks are recorded in groups of five. The first four marks are written as
vertical lines (||||), and the fifth mark is drawn as a slanting line ( / ) across the previous four. This group of five
is easy to spot at a glance and helps us count large quantities quickly and accurately.
By arranging the tally marks in this way, it becomes much easier to determine the total number of occurrences for
each category without recounting repeatedly.
Number of Children
Sport Tally Marks
(Frequency)
Badminton 32
Kho-kho 17
Tennis 24
The total number of tally marks recorded for a particular category or situation is known as its frequency. In other
words, the frequency tells us how many times a particular observation or choice appears in the data.
The table that includes the items being observed, their corresponding tally marks, and their frequencies is called
a frequency table. Such a table presents information in a neat and organised manner, making it much easier to
interpret the data at a glance.
This way of arranging and displaying data is referred to as a frequency distribution. It shows the distribution of
observations according to how often each one occurs. Thus, the frequency of an observation simply means the
number of times that observation appears in the entire set of collected data.
Let us consider an example to understand the procedure more clearly.
Maths Talk
The marks obtained by 28 students in a mathematics test are given below:
35, 40, 31, 19, 35, 42, 42, 28, 22, 35, 35, 40, 28, 42, How does frequency
15, 22, 31, 31, 45, 31, 35, 22, 28, 19, 31, 19, 40, 35 distribution help
To prepare a frequency distribution table, we follow a systematic method. The summarise large data?
steps are as follows:
List all the marks in the first column, but make sure they are written in ascending order. Arranging the data from
the smallest value to the largest helps us avoid missing any number and makes counting the frequencies much
easier. When the marks are ordered, repeated values appear together, which simplifies tallying and grouping.
79
Use one tally mark for each occurrence of a mark. For example, the score 19 has been obtained by three students.
Therefore, three tally marks are recorded against the number 19. Tally marks help us keep track of repeated values
quickly without repeatedly rewriting the number.
Continue in the same way for all the other marks. As you go down the list, add a tally mark every time a particular
score appears. Remember that tally marks are grouped in sets of five for easier counting: four vertical lines (||||)
followed by a diagonal line across them (/) to show the group is complete. After recording a group of five, you begin
a new set again from a single vertical line.
Count the tally marks and record the frequency of each score in the Frequency column. The frequency simply tells
us how many times a particular mark appears in the given data. This step helps convert the tally symbols into
actual numerical values.
Finally, add all the frequencies and write the total in the last row. This total should match the number of observations—
in this case, 28 students. This serves as a quick check that no data has been missed or counted twice.
The completed table is known as a frequency distribution table, which presents raw data in an organised and easy-
to-read form.
Example 1: Ram wants to know the residences in his locality that have pets and also the type of pets that they
have. He found that 26 families had different types of pets. Prepare a frequency table with the data
given below.
macaw, macaw, macaw, dog, cat, macaw, macaw, macaw, cat, tortoise, macaw, macaw, dog, cat, fish,
macaw, macaw, cat, macaw, fish, macaw, fish, dog, macaw, macaw, fish
Solution:
Frequency distribution table for the pet animals is as follows.
Type of pets Tally Marks Frequency
Macaw 14
Dog 3
Cat 4
Fish 4
Tortoise 1
Total 26
Example 2: In a class of 42 students, various students like various games such as hockey (A), badminton (B),
cricket (C), table tennis (D) and football (E). The data of their choices is given below indicated by letters
A, B, C, D and E for the names of games.
C, B, B, D, B, C, C, E, A, C, E, E, C, B, E, C, D, A, B, C, E, D, D, A, A, C, E, D, D, D, B, C, C, C, A, C, B, E, A,
D, C and B
a. Arrange the data in a frequency distribution table.
b. How many students like football?
c. How many students like cricket?
d. Which game is liked by maximum number of students?
e. Which game is liked by minimum number of students?
Solution: a. Frequency distribution table for the given data is as follows.
Grade Tally Marks Frequency
Hockey (A) 6
Badminton (B) 8
Cricket (C) 13
Table Tennis (D) 8
Football (E) 7
Total 42
80
b. As per the table above, 7 students like football.
c. As per the table above, 13 students like cricket.
d. Cricket is liked by maximum number of students i.e., 13 students.
e. Hockey is liked by minimum number of students i.e., 6 students.
4.2 Pictographs
Many a time, we need to present data using pictures, icons, or symbols so that the information becomes easier to
understand at a glance. Such visual representation not only simplifies interpretation but also makes the data more
appealing. However, for large datasets, drawing individual pictures is impractical. To overcome this, we choose a
convenient scale and represent several items with a single picture.
Each picture in a pictograph stands for a certain number of objects. This representation is known as the key. The
key is extremely important because it helps the reader understand exactly how much each picture represents. For
example, if we have data showing 60 books, instead of drawing 60 tiny book icons, we could use a key where one
picture represents 10 books.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
a. On which day did the maximum number of boy visit the zoo?
b. On which day did the minimum number of boys visit the zoo?
c. How many boys visited the library this week?
Solution: From the pictograph given above, we conclude the below results:
a. The maximum number of boys visited the zoo on Tuesday.
b. The minimum number of boys visited the zoo on Thursday.
c. The total number of boys visited in the library is 230.
Example 2: Draw a pictograph for the following given set of data. Below data shows number of mobile phones sold
in a particular year.
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
82
Exercise 4.1
Sanjay
Anvita
Madhvi
Rehana
Key:
= 4 deer = 2 deer
a. Who sighted the least number of deer?
b. How many deer did Sanjay and Rehana see?
c. Who saw equal number of deer?
d. How many more deer did Anvita see as compared to Nishi?
e. Who sighted exactly 18 deer?
4. In the annual function of Nidhi’s school different flavours of ice-creams were distributed to the guests. Given
below is the number of ice-creams of different flavours that were served. Make a pictograph for the given data.
Vanilla: 40 Chocolate: 20 Strawberry: 15 Butter Scotch: 35
5. A fruit seller sells different varieties of mangoes in his shop. Presently he has the following number of mangoes
of different varieties. Take an appropriate scale and make a pictograph for the given data.
Alphonso: 200 Totapuri: 400 Dashehari: 500
Safeda: 350 Chausa: 150 Himsagar: 250
6. The pictograph given below shows the number of mangoes sold by a shopkeeper in first three days of a week.
If the shopkeeper still has 110 mangoes left, calculate the number of mangoes he had initially.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Key: = 10 mangoes
83
7. Saplings were planted every day during Van Mahotsav week for 6 days. The pictograph given below represents
the number of saplings.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Key:
= 10 sapling
a. Calculate the number of saplings planted on Wednesday.
b. On which day, the minimum number of saplings were planted? Also, how many saplings were planted?
c. Arrange the days in the ascending order of number of saplings planted.
Scale
The scale shows how the numbers increase along the axis. It tells us the value of each marking or step (e.g.,
counting by 1s, 2s, 5s, or 10s). Choosing a suitable scale makes the graph easier to read.
Bars
The bars are the rectangular blocks that represent the data. Their height (for vertical bars) or length (for horizontal
bars) corresponds exactly to the number being shown.
84
All bars must
have the same width, be equally spaced, and be drawn neatly, sometimes with shading or colour for clarity and
attractiveness.
Properties of a Bar Graph
Bars may be vertical or horizontal, though vertical bars are commonly used.
The height or length of each bar shows the value of the data.
The width of bars must be uniform. Only the height (or length) varies to represent value.
Bars are placed at equal distances from each other.
Bars may be shaded or coloured to make the graph visually appealing.
Bar graphs are extremely useful for making quick visual comparisons between different categories.
Interpretation of a Bar Graph
The bar graph shown below represents the total number of runs scored by various players in a cricket tournament.
By studying the heights of the bars, we can answer questions such as:
Which player scored the highest number of runs?
Which player scored the least?
How much more did one player score compared to another?
Understanding how to interpret a bar graph is just as important as learning how to draw one, as it helps us read
information accurately and make meaningful comparisons.
Rohit
Name of the Players
Maths Talk
Manish
The modern bar graph is widely credited to
Ranjan William Playfair. He was a Scottish engineer
and political economist. He introduced it in
Abhay his book The Commercial and Political Atlas
in 1786.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 46 50
Number of Runs
Scale: 1 cm = 5 runs
By carefully observing the given bar graph, we can draw the following conclusions:
Rohit has scored the highest number of runs.
His bar is the tallest among all the players shown. From the scale on the graph, it is evident that Rohit has scored
50 runs, making him the top scorer in the group.
Manish has scored the lowest number of runs.
His bar is the shortest, clearly indicating that he has scored fewer runs than all the other players. The bar graph
helps us identify this instantly without having to check numerical values.
Ranjan has scored 45 runs.
The height of Ranjan’s bar reaches up to 45 on the scale. This shows that he is one of the higher scorers, just
slightly behind Rohit.
Abhay has scored 30 runs.
Abhay’s bar reaches the 30 mark on the Y-axis, showing that he has scored a moderate number of runs compared
with the other players.
85
4.4 Drawing a Bar Graph
Let us learn how to draw a bar graph using the following example:
Number of different types of flowers in a garden:
Maths Talk
Roses: 7
Marigolds: 9 Why is it necessary to choose
Lilies: 3 the right type of graph?
Daisies: 5
To draw a bar graph for this information, follow the steps given below carefully:
1. Draw the axes.
Draw two straight lines that meet at a right angle, forming a shape similar to the letter ‘L’.
Label the vertical line as the y-axis.
Label the horizontal line as the x-axis.
2. Label the axes clearly.
Each axis should show what kind of data it represents.
In this example, the x-axis will represent the Types of Flowers.
The y-axis will represent the Number of Flowers.
3. Choose a suitable scale.
The scale tells us how the numbers increase on the y-axis.
Here, we choose 1 cm = 1 flower, as the numbers involved are small and easy to plot.
4. Mark equal intervals on the y-axis.
Starting from zero, mark evenly spaced points and write the numbers (1, 2, 3, …) according to the chosen scale.
Make sure the spacing is consistent.
5. Write the flower names on the x-axis.
Under the horizontal axis, write the four categories: Roses, Marigolds, Lilies, Daisies.
Leave equal spacing between each name so that the bars can be drawn neatly.
6. Draw the bars.
For each flower type, draw a rectangular bar rising from the x-axis up to the correct value on the y-axis.
All bars must have the same width.
Leave equal space between each bar for clarity.
The height of each bar should accurately represent the number of flowers.
7. Add a clear and meaningful title.
Write an appropriate title at the top of the bar graph, such as “Number of Different Types of Flowers in a
Garden”, so the reader immediately knows what the graph shows.
10
9
Number of flowers
5 Maths Talk
4
3 How can graphs help in
2 comparing different groups?
1
0
Roses Lilies Marigolds Daisies
86 Types of flowers
Example 1: Look at the bar graph that shows the sale of sarees in a shop, from Monday to Saturday and answer
the following questions.
55
50
45
Number of Sarees
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Days
Scale: 1 unit = 5 Sarees
a. What is the scale of this graph?
b. On which day were the maximum number of sarees sold? How many sarees were sold on that day?
c. On which day were the minimum number of sarees sold?
d. How many sarees were sold on Friday?
Solution: a. The scale of the graph is 1 unit = 5 sarees
b. The maximum number of sarees were sold on Saturday. 50 sarees were sold on that day.
c. The minimum number of sarees were sold on Tuesday.
d. On Friday, 45 sarees were sold.
Example 2: The approximate population (in lakhs) of five major cities of India, in 2011 census was as follows.
City Population (in lakh)
Bengaluru 80
Chennai 40
Delhi 100
Hyderabad 60
Mumbai 120
140
120
Population (in lakh)
100
80
60
40
20
0
Bengaluru Chennai Delhi Hyderabad Mumbai
City
Scale: 1 unit = 20 lakhs
4.5 Artistic and Aesthetic Considerations
When we present data using pictographs, bar graphs or any other visual form, it is important that our diagrams are
not only accurate but also clear, neat and visually appealing. A well-designed graph makes information easier to
read and understand. Good presentation helps the reader focus on the data rather than being distracted by clutter
or uneven drawings.
Here are some important artistic and aesthetic considerations to keep in mind while preparing graphs:
1. Neatness and Uniformity
All lines should be drawn neatly, using a ruler wherever necessary. Bars must be of equal width, and spaces
between them should be consistent. Uniformity makes the graph look organised and prevents confusion.
2. Choice of Colours and Shading
Graphs may be shaded or coloured lightly to make them attractive. Different colours can be used for different
categories, but they should not be too bright or distracting. The aim is to highlight the information, not to
overpower it.
3. Clear Labelling
All titles, axis labels and category names should be written clearly. Handwriting must be neat and easy to read.
Clear labels ensure that anyone looking at the graph can understand what it represents without difficulty.
4. Proper Use of Space
A graph should use the page space sensibly. Bars should not be cramped together, nor should the graph appear
too empty. Balanced spacing helps the reader interpret the information comfortably.
5. Accurate Scaling
A scale must be chosen that fits the available space and the size of the data. The markings on the axis should
be evenly spaced, and numbers should be written neatly. An appropriate scale ensures that bars are neither too
long nor too short.
6. Simplicity
Graphs should not include unnecessary decorations or drawings that may distract from the data. Simplicity
makes the graph cleaner and more professional.
By paying attention to these artistic and aesthetic considerations, we can create graphs that are both informative
and attractive. A well-presented graph communicates data clearly and leaves a positive impression on
the reader.
88
Exercise 4.2
1. The following bar graph shows the marks obtained by Aditya in various subjects, in his annual exams. Observe
the bar graph carefully and answer the questions that follow.
100
90
80
Marks obtained
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Hindi English Mathematics S. St. Science
Subject
Scale: 1 unit = 10 marks
50
45
40
Number of Students
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Red Green Blue Purple
Names of Colours
89
c. How many students like blue?
d. What is the difference between the number of students who like red and the number of students who like
green?
e. How many students were surveyed in total?
3. The bar graph shows the number of books read by 5 friends in a month.
24
Number of Books 20
16
12
0
Rosy Lata Nisha Neha Rehana
Name of the Friends
a. Who read the most books?
b. Who read the fewest books?
c. How many more books did Lata read than Neha?
d. If each book has 80 pages, how many pages did Rehana read?
4. You want to find out the favourite sports of your classmates. What information would you need to collect? How
would you organise this information before drawing a bar graph? (Hint: Focus on tally marks, frequency tables)
5. The following table shows the number of students present in the class over 5 days. Given the following data:
Number of students present in Class 6 over 5 days:
Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
No. of Students 30 28 25 29 27
Represent the above data in the form of a bar graph.
6. Draw a bar graph to represent the following data showing the number of different types of fruits sold by a fruit
vendor in a day:
Name of Fruits Apple Banana Orange Grapes Mangoes
Quantity of Fruits in Kg 40 55 30 20 45
7. The table below shows the number of students who prefer different types of movies:
Type of Movie Action Comedy Animation Adventure Sci-Fi
No. of Students 15 20 10 5 15
Draw a bar graph for this data. What insights can you get from your bar graph?
8. A school conducted a survey to find out the number of students who walk, come on bicycle, or by bus to school.
They found that 50 students come on foot, 30 students come on bicycle, and 70 students come by bus. Draw
a bar graph to represent this data.
90
Famous Mathematician
Objective: To learn how to collect relevant data and present it in the form of a bar graph for deducing useful
information.
Pre-Requisite Knowledge:
• Understanding of data collection.
• Ability to calculate time differences.
• Basic knowledge of bar graphs and their interpretation.
Materials Required: Chart paper, graph paper, a pair of scissors, Ruler, Pencil and colors/markers
Procedure: 1. For one week, collect data about the time at which sun rises and sets from the newspapers or
television news channels.
2. Calculate the duration of daylight and that of the night for each weekday. For example,
Duration of daylight on Monday = The Difference between the time of sunset and the time of
sunrise on Monday.
Duration of night on Monday = Difference between the time of sunrise on Tuesday and the
time of sunset on Monday.
Observation: Draw the following table on the chart paper and record the data.
Weekdays Duration of daylight Duration of night
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Using the table, draw a bar graph on graph paper:
• Represent weekdays on the x-axis
• Represent duration (hours or minutes) on the y-axis
• Use different colors for daylight and night bars for clear comparison
Observe the patterns:
• Which day has the longest daylight?
• Which day has the shortest night?
• How does daylight increase or decrease over the week?
91
Maths Words
Quick Recap
92
Challenger Section
A. Data Recognition
1. A double bar graph is used to:
a. Compare one data set b. Compare two related sets of data
c. Represent time only d. Draw symbols
2. Which of the following is quantitative data?
a. Types of fruits b. Number of books read
c. Favourite colours d. Shapes of leaves
3. Which of the following is a key element of a graph?
a. Title b. Labels c. Scale d. All of the above
4. Which of the following is not a type of data representation?
a. Pictograph b. Bar graph c. Pie chart d. Alphabetical
chart
5. The range of a data set tells us:
a. The difference between the highest b. The average of values
and lowest values
c. The number of students in the class d. The most frequent value
6. Which of these shows data visually using pictures or symbols?
a. Table b. Pictograph c. List d. Paragraph
B. Visual Data Handling and Representation
7. The bar graph shows the number of toys produced by a factory during a certain week:
250
225
Number of toy production
200
175
150
Thursday
Tuesday
125
Monday
Sunday
Wednesday
Saturday
100
57
Friday
50
25
0
Days
Answer the following questions:
i. On which day the maximum number of toys were produced?
ii. On which day equal number of toys were produced?
iii. In which day minimum number of toys were produced?
iv. What is the total number of toys produced during the week?
8. A die is thrown 20 times and the numbers appearing were as given below: 2,4,5,6,6,6,5,2,3,1,6,2,3,3,
4,1,6,2,3,2,2,3,6,6,6. Draw a frequency distribution table to represent the given data. Which number
appears the maximum number of times?
93
9. The student scored 49 in English,36 in computer, 32 in Hindi, 40 in Mathematics, 28 in Science
and 36 in Social Science. Prepare a table to represent the data. And then draw a bar graph taking 1 unit
10. In a bar graph, bars are made
a. horizontally b. vertically
c. sometimes horizontally, sometimes vertically d. oblique
D. Logical Reasoning
13. The shape of bar graph is ________________.
14. An observation occurring eight times in a data is represented as ____________ using tally marks.
15. A graph drawn using horizontal or vertical bars is called
a. Pictograph b. Circle graph c. Bar graph d. Line graph
Career Connect
Data handling helps us collect, organise, and represent information using tables, graphs, and charts. Many
careers, like statisticians, researchers, and environmental scientists, use these skills to make informed decisions.
94
Exam Prep
C. State True/False.
1. All bars in a bar graph must be of the same height.
2. A bar graph always has a title.
3. Tally marks are used to count the number of times an observation occurs.
4. Data handling helps us to draw meaningful conclusions from raw data.
5. In a pictograph, if a symbol represents 10 units, then half a symbol represents 5 units.
1 symbol █ = 2 students
1. According to the pictograph, how many symbols represent Science?
a. 4 b. 5 c. 6 d. 10
95
2. Which subject is liked by the least number of students?
a. Mathematics b. Science c. English d. History
3. Total number of students who like Mathematics or Science is:
a. 20 b. 22 c. 18 d. 21
F. Subjective Questions.
1. The number of absentees in Class 6 for a week are recorded as:
Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
No. of Absentees 5 8 4 7 10
Draw a bar graph for the this data.
2. The following data shows the number of vehicles passing through a school gate in one hour:
Vehicle’s Name Car Bicycle Motorcycle Truck Scooter
No. of Vehicles 12 10 20 16 25
Draw a pictograph for this data.
3. The following pictograph shows the number of Maruti vans manufactured during a week
Days Number of cars manufactured 🚘 = 25 cars
Monday 🚘🚘🚘🚘
Tuesday 🚘🚘🚘
Wednesday 🚘🚘
Thursday 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘
Friday 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘
Saturday 🚘🚘🚘🚘
a. On which day were the maximum number of cars manufactured?
b. Find the number of cars manufactured on Saturday
c. Find the total number of cars manufactured on Monday and Thursday
G. Think critically.
1. A bar graph shows the marks of students in a test. If the vertical axis represents marks and is scaled as
1 unit = 5 marks, and a bar reaches up to 8 units, what are the marks scored?
96