2
Reading a favorite-day graph
Discover Mathematics P2: Term 1, Lessons 2–10
GoalRead a bar graph: find how many, which is most or least, and how many more.
New words
most · the tallest bar, the biggest numberleast · the shortest bar, the smallest numberhow many more · the difference: subtract the smaller from the bigger
Explanation
To read a bar graph, find the bar you want. Look at the top of the bar and follow the line to the numbers on the left. That number tells how many children chose it. The tallest bar is the most and the shortest bar is the least. To find how many more, subtract. To find how many in all, add the bars you need.
Worked examples
Look at Friday. Its bar reaches 5, so 5 children chose Friday. It is the tallest bar, so Friday is the favourite day.
How many more children chose Friday than Tuesday? Friday is 5 and Tuesday is 1. Subtract: 5 − 1 = 4.
How many children chose Monday or Thursday? Monday is 2 and Thursday is 2. Add: 2 + 2 = 4 children.
Class activity
Read a graph in a newspaper or a school book with a grown-up. Ask each other three questions: Which bar is tallest? Which is shortest? How many more is one bar than another?
Practice
1
Karim’s class voted for a play place. How many children chose the slide?
4
2
Which play place did the most children choose?
Football
3
How many more children chose football than the rope?
3 (5 − 2 = 3)
4
How many children voted in all?
14 (5 + 3 + 4 + 2 = 14)
5
Which play place got fewer than 3 votes?
The rope