594 Chapter 7 Graphs and Statistics
SECTION 7.1
Reading Graphs and Tables
Objectives
1 Read tables.2 Read bar graphs.3 Read pictographs.4 Read circle graphs.5 Read line graphs.6 Read histograms and frequency
polygons.We live in an information age. Never before have so many facts and figures been right
at our fingertips. Since information is often presented in the form of tables or graphs,
we need to be able to read and make sense of data displayed in that way.
The following table, bar graph,and circle graph(or pie chart) show the results of
a shopper survey. A large sample of adults were asked how far in advance they
typically shop for a gift. In the bar graph, the length of a bar represents the percent of
responses for a given shopping method. In the circle graph, the size of a colored region
represents the percent of responses for a given shopping method.Shopper Survey
How far in advance gift givers typically shop(Source:Harris interactive online study via QuickQuery for Gifts.com)
It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. That is the case here, where
the graphs display the results of the survey more clearly than the table. It’s easy to see
from the graphs that most people shop within a week of when they need to purchase a
gift. It is also apparent that same-day shopping for a gift was the least popular response.
That information also appears in the table, but it is just not as obvious.Survey responses
A month or longer
8%The same day
as giving it
4% Within a month
12%Within 3 weeks
Within 12%
2 weeks
23%Within
a week
41%A Circle GraphSurvey responsesA Bar Graph10%20%30%40%50%A month
or longerWithin a
monthWithin
3 weeksWithin
2 weeksWithin
a weekThe same
day as
giving itA Table8%
12%
12%
23%
41%
4%A month or longer
Within a month
Within 3 weeks
Within 2 weeks
Within a week
The same day as
giving itSurvey responses
Time in advance Percent