GoalBuild and read a vote table, find the winner and total the votes with a formula.
New words
vote · a choice made by one person among severalsolution · an idea for solving a problemwinner · the choice with the most votessum · adding numbers together
Explanation
Databases are good for counting votes. Imagine a class must pick one of three solutions to keep the playground tidy: Solution A, Solution B and Solution C. Plan the table: the fields are ID, Class, Solution A, Solution B and Solution C. Each voter has one record. Write 1 in the column of the solution the voter chose, and leave the other columns empty. Use only invented voters with made-up IDs. Then total each column with a formula. To add the numbers in C2 to C9 you can write =C2+C3+C4+C5+C6+C7+C8+C9. Many programs also have a short word for adding a range, written like =SUM(C2:C9). The winner is the solution with the largest total. Check your work: the three totals added together must equal the number of voters. Data about real people, such as real votes with names, must be protected by law, so we use only invented data.
C10fx=C2+C3+C4+C5+C6+C7+C8+C9
A
B
C
D
E
1
ID
Class
Solution A
Solution B
Solution C
2
201
6A
1
3
202
6A
1
4
203
6A
1
5
204
6B
1
6
205
6B
1
7
206
6B
1
8
207
6C
1
9
208
6C
1
10
Total
4
2
2
Worked examples
Solution
Rows with a 1
Votes
A
2, 4, 6, 8
4
B
3, 7
2
C
5, 9
2
Reading the table. Count the 1s in column C: rows 2, 4, 6 and 8 have a 1, so Solution A has 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4 votes. In column D rows 3 and 7 give 2 votes. In column E rows 5 and 9 give 2 votes.
totals: A 4, B 2, C 2→largest total: A→check: 4 + 2 + 2 = 8 voters
The winner and the check. Solution A has the most votes (4), so it wins. Check: 4 + 2 + 2 = 8, and there were 8 voters, so the count is right.
Sport
Votes
football
3
swimming
1
tennis
1
A class survey. A different invented table records favourite sports for 5 pupils: football 3, swimming 1, tennis 1. The formula for the football total is the sum of the three 1s: 1 + 1 + 1 = 3.
Class activity
Count the votes. Draw a vote table on squared paper with the fields ID, Class, Solution A, Solution B and Solution C. Invent ten voters (‘Student 1’ to ‘Student 10’) with made-up IDs and give each a vote by writing a 1. Write the formula that totals Solution A, work out the three totals, say which solution wins, and check that the totals add up to ten.
Practice
1
How do you record one vote in the table?
Write 1 in the column of the chosen solution in that voter’s row.
2
In the lesson table, how many votes did Solution A get?
4
3
Solution A has 3 votes, Solution B has 5 and Solution C has 1. How many votes in all?
