A bar graph represents categorical data by using the length or height of each bar to show how many items belong to a category, with the title, labels, and scale providing meaning for the quantities. Interpretation includes reading exact values, comparing categories, identifying greatest and least amounts, and answering one- or two-step questions involving totals, differences, and how many more or fewer; the representation is limited to whole-number data with a straightforward, typically single-unit scale rather than fractional values or more advanced scaling.
A bar graph uses bars to show how many items are in each category. The longer the bar, the greater the amount.
To read a bar graph:
Example
The bar graph shows students’ favorite fruits. Each square represents student.
| Fruit | Number of students |
|---|---|
| Apples | ■■■■ |
| Bananas | ■■■■■■ |
| Grapes | ■■■ |
| Oranges | ■■■■■ |
Question: How many more students chose bananas than grapes?
First, read the two bars:
Subtract to find how many more:
Answer: more students chose bananas than grapes.
The greatest amount is bananas, with students. The least amount is grapes, with students.
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