Bar Graph

A bar chart or bar graph is a chart or graph that presents

categorical data Examples of categorical variables are race,
sex, age group, and educational level , with rectangular bars
with heights or lengths proportional to the values that they
represent. The bars can be plotted vertically or horizontally. A
vertical bar chart is sometimes called a column chart.

Bar Graph
A bar graph is a specific way of representing data using
rectangular bars in which the length of each bar is
proportional to the value it represents. It is a graphical
representation of data using bars of different heights. In real
life, bar graphs are commonly used to represent business data.
Bar graphs are drawn on a two-dimensional plane, where the
x-axis represents the categories and the y-axis represents the
frequencies. These are used to represent large amounts of data
without any confusion or overcrowding. Let us see what are
different types of bar graphs, what are their uses, and how to
draw bar graphs.
What is Bar Graph?

A bar graph is a graph that shows complete data with

rectangular bars and the heights of bars are proportional to the
values that they represent. The bars in the graph can be shown
vertically or horizontally. Bar graphs are also known as bar
charts and it is a pictorial representation of grouped data. It is
one of the ways of data handling. Bar graph is an excellent
tool to represent data that are:
  independent of one another and
 that do not need to be in any specific order while being

represented.
The bars give a visual display for comparing quantities in
different categories. The bar graphs have two lines, horizontal
and vertical axis, also called the x and y-axis along with the
title, labels, and scale range.
Properties of Bar Graph
Some properties that make a bar graph unique and different
from other types of graphs are given below:
 All rectangular bars should have equal width and

should have equal space between them.

 The rectangular bars can be

drawn horizontally or vertically.

 The height of the rectangular bar is equivalent to the

data they represent.

 The rectangular bars must be on a common base.

Uses of Bar Graph

A bar graph is mostly used in mathematics and statistics.

Some of the uses of the bar graph are as follows:
 The comparisons between different categories are easy

and convenient.
 It is the easiest diagram to prepare and does not

require too much effort.

 It is the most widely used method

of data representation. Therefore, it is used by various

industries.
 It is used to compare data sets that are independent of

one another.
 It helps in studying patterns over long periods of time.

Types of Bar Graphs

Bar Graphs are mainly classified into two types:
 Vertical Bar Graph

 Horizontal Bar Graph

The bars in bar graphs can be plotted horizontally or

vertically, but the most commonly used bar graph is the
vertical bar graph. Apart from the vertical and horizontal bar
graphs, there are two more types of bar graphs, which are
given below:
 Grouped Bar Graph

 Stacked Bar Graph

Let us understand all the types of bar graphs in detail.

Vertical Bar Graphs
When the given data is represented vertically in a graph or
chart with the help of rectangular bars that show the measure
of data, such graphs are known as vertical bar graphs. The
rectangular bars are vertically drawn on the x-axis, and the y-
axis shows the value of the height of the rectangular bars
which represents the quantity of the variables written on the x-
axis.
Horizontal Bar Graphs
When the given data is represented horizontally by using
rectangular bars that show the measure of data, such graphs
are known as horizontal bar graphs. In this type, the variables
or the categories of the data have to be written and then the
rectangular bars are horizontally drawn on the y-axis and the
x-axis shows the length of the bars equal to the values of
different variables present in the data.
Stacked Bar Graph
The stacked bar graph is also referred to as the composite bar
graph. It divides the whole bar into different parts. In this,
each part of a bar is represented using different colours to
easily identify the different categories. It requires specific
labelling to indicate the different parts of the bar. Thus, in a
stacked bar graph every rectangular bar represents the whole,
and each segment in the rectangular bar shows the different
parts of the whole. It can be shown vertically or horizontally.
Grouped Bar Graph
The grouped bar graph is also referred the clustered bar graph.
It is used to show the discrete value for two or more
categorical data. In this, rectangular bars are grouped by
position for levels of one categorical variable, with the same
colours showing the secondary category level within each
group. It can be shown both vertically and horizontally.
Observe the figure given below which shows different types
of bar graphs.
Bar Graph Examples

 Example 1: The number of children in five different

batches of an educational institute is given below.
Represent the data on a bar graph.
Batches Number of Children

Batch 1 120

Batch 2 80

Batch 3 95

Batch 4 100
 Batches Number of Children

Batch 5 60
 Solution:
 The data is represented by the bar graph as follows:


 Answer: The above shown is the required bar graph.

 Example 2: Observe the given horizontal bar graph
which shows the baking of cakes in a bakery from
Monday to Saturday. Find out the day on which the
maximum number of cakes were baked. Also, find the
number of cakes baked on that day.
 Solution:
From the above graph, it can be seen that the
maximum number of cakes were baked on Saturday as
the length of the bar on Saturday is the maximum. 60
cakes were baked on that day, as the length of the bar
corresponds to 60 on the x-axis.
Answer: Saturday; 60 cakes
 Example 3: The following table shows the number of
apple trees planted by the gardener of a school in
different years. Draw the bar graph to represent the
data.
Years Number of Apple Trees

2005 150

2006 220

2007 350
 Years Number of Apple Trees

2008 150

2009 300

2010 380
 Solution:
 The data is represented by the bar graph as follows:


 Answer: The required bar diagram is shown above.

In this concept, you will learn how to create and read multiple
bar graphs.
For Rachel's history project she wants to create a graph that
illustrates the population growth (in millions) of the countries
listed in the table below.

Country 1980 1990 2000

France 55 56 65

United Kingdom 50 53 63

Mexico 65 78 80

Nigeria 60 82 85

Pakistan 57 65 74

Populations Over Time (millions)

How can Rachel create a graph to illustrate the data over
time?
In this concept, you will learn how to create and read multiple
bar graphs.
Creating and Reading Multiple Bar Graphs
Data is a set of numerical or non-numerical information. Data
can be analyzed in many different ways. In this concept you
will analyze numerical data using multiple bar graphs.
One way to display data is in a multiple bar
graph. A multiple bar graph shows the relationship between
different values of data. Each data value is represented by a
column in the graph. In a multiple bar graph, multiple data
points for each category of data are shown with the addition
of columns. The categories of different kinds of data are listed
along the horizontal, or x, axis. The quantity or amount of data
is listed along the vertical, or y, axis. Lastly, the legend, or
key, states what each column represents.
Let's look at an example.
Frank's Farm Stand kept track of the number of pounds of
vegetables sold over a three-day period. The results are listed
on the table below. Create a multiple bar graph to display the
data. Then, list three conclusions that can be made about the
data.
Type of Pounds Sold: Pounds Sold: Pounds Sold:
Vegetable: Day One Day Two Day Three

Squash 32 lbs. 36 lbs. 36 lbs.

Zucchini 40 lbs. 33 lbs. 37 lbs.

Corn 56 lbs. 65 lbs. 67 lbs.

Carrots 28 lbs. 25 lbs. 23 lbs.

Romaine
27 lbs. 31 lbs. 34 lbs.
Lettuce

Tomatoes 44 lbs. 54 lbs. 58 lbs.

Frank's Vegetable Sales

First, create the multiple bar graph. To do this, draw the

horizontal (x) and vertical (y) axes.
[Figure 1]
Next, label the vertical axis. The vertical axis lists the quantity
or amount of the data. In this case, the category will be
"Pounds Sold."
Next, title the graph. The title of the graph should be short and
clear. It should explain what data is presented in the graph. In
this case, the title will be “Amount of Vegetables Sold at
Frank's Farm Stand.”
Then, determine the units on the vertical axis. To do this, start
by reviewing the smallest and largest values in the table. The
smallest value is 23 and the largest is 65. Based on these
values label the vertical axis from 0-70. Since the values are
whole numbers and are relatively spread out, a unit of 10 can
be used. Therefore, the vertical axis will start at 0 and go to 70
by increments of 10.
Next, draw the vertical columns. To do this, write each type of
vegetable along the horizontal axis, leaving space between
each one. Each type of vegetable will have three columns, one
for each day. These should be drawn in different colors. To
start, draw the amount of squash sold on day one. To do this
draw a column vertically until it reaches the quantity 32. Then
draw the amount of squash sold on day two. To do this draw
the column vertically until it reaches 36. Complete the
columns for squash by drawing the amount for day three, 36,
in a vertical column. Continue this pattern for the other
vegetables.
Next, create the legend, or key. Each column for each
category represents a different day. The legend must represent
this by denoting which color is for day one, day two, and day
three.
Finally, state three conclusions from the graph. To do this,
analyze the data presented in the table by comparing the
heights of the bars.
The first answer is the graph should look like the one below.
The second answer is three conclusions that can be made from
the graph are: corn was the vegetable that sold the greatest
amount each day; the amount of carrots decreased each day
from days one to three; and squash, corn, romaine lettuce, and
tomatoes saw an increase in amounts sold across each day.

[Figure 2]
Example 1
Earlier, you were given a problem about Rachel and her
graph.
Rachel wants to create a graph that displays the population
growth (in millions) in the table below.

Country 1980 1990 2000

France 55 56 65

United Kingdom 50 53 63

Mexico 65 78 80

Nigeria 60 82 85

Pakistan 57 65 74

Populations Over Time (millions)

First, Rachel will create a multiple bar graph because there are
multiple years of data for each country. To do this, she will
draw the horizontal and vertical axes.

[Figure 3]
Next, she will label the horizontal axis. The horizontal axis
lists the different categories of data. In this case, the category
will be "Country."
Next, she will label the vertical axis. The vertical axis lists the
quantity or amount of the data. In this case, the category will
be "Population (in millions)."
Next, she will title the graph. The title of the graph should be
short and clear. It should explain what data is presented in the
graph. In this case, the title will be “Population.”
Then, she will determine the units on the vertical axis. To do
this, start by reviewing the smallest and largest values in the
table. The smallest value is 50 and the largest is 85. Based on
these values label the vertical axis from 0-90. Since the values
are whole numbers and relatively spread out, a unit of 10 can
be used. Therefore, the vertical axis will start at 0 and go to 90
by increments of 10. (Remember that the values are in
millions.)
Next, draw the vertical columns. To do this, write each
country along the horizontal axis, leaving space between each
one. Each country will have three columns, one for each year.
These should be drawn in different colors. To start, draw the
population for France in 1980. To do this draw a column
vertically until it reaches the quantity 55. Then draw the
population for 1990 and 2000. To do this draw the column
vertically until it reaches 56 and 65 respectively. Continue this
pattern for the remaining countries.
Next, create the legend, or key. Each column for each country
represents a different year. The legend must represent this by
denoting which color is for 1980, 1990, and 2000.
The answer is the graph should look like the one below.
[Figure 4]
Example 2
Example 3
The table below shows the World Health Organization's
estimated number of diabetes cases. Create a bar graph to
display the data from the table. Then, state three conclusions
that can be made about the data.

Country 2000 Estimate 2030 Estimate

Antigua and Barbuda 3000 5000

Cook Islands 700 1300

Marshall Islands 2000 4000

Monaco 2000 3000

 Nauru 2000 4000

Palau 1000 2000

Saint Kitts and Nevis 2000 2000

San Marino 2000 3000

Sao Tome-Principe 1000 2000

Tuvalu 300 800

WHO's Diabetes Prevalence Estimates

First, create the multiple bar graph. To do this, draw the
horizontal (x) and vertical (y) axes.

[Figure 6]
Next, label the vertical axis. The vertical axis lists the quantity
or amount of the data. In this case, the category will be
"Number of Cases."
Next, title the graph. The title of the graph should be short and
clear. It should explain what data is presented in the graph. In
this case, the title will be “WHO Estimated Diabetes Cases for
2000 and 2030.”
Then, determine the units on the vertical axis. To do this, start
by reviewing the smallest and largest values in the table. The
smallest value is 300 and the largest is 5000. Based on these
values label the vertical axis from 0-5000. Since the values
are whole numbers and relatively spread out, a unit of 500 can
be used. Therefore, the vertical axis will start at 0 and go to
5000 by increments of 500.
Next, draw the vertical columns. To do this, write each
country along the horizontal axis, leaving space between each
one. Each country will have two columns, one for each year.
These should be drawn in different colors. To start, draw the
number of cases for Antigua and Barbuda for 2000. To do this
draw a column vertically until it reaches the quantity 3000.
Then draw the number of cases for 2030. To do this draw the
column vertically until it reaches 5000. Continue this pattern
for the remaining countries.
Next, create the legend, or key. Each column for each country
represents a different year. The legend must represent this by
denoting which color is for 2000 and 2030.
Finally, state three conclusions from the graph. To do this,
analyze the data presented in the table by comparing the
heights of the bars.
The first answer is the graph should look like the one below.
The second answer is three conclusions that can be made from
the graph are: Saint Kitts and Nevis did not see an increase in
the number of diabetes cases between 2000 and 2030; Antigua
and Barbuda has the greatest number of estimated cases for
2030; and Tuvalu has the smallest number of estimated cases
for both years 2000 and 2030.
[Figure 7]
Make a multiple bar diagram of the following data:
Number of Students
Faculty
2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
Arts 600 550 500

Science 400 500 600

Commerce 200 250 300

Solution

Number of Students in Different Academic Streams

Pie charts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_nPxTRuLxo

Pie Chart

A pie chart is a pictorial representation of data in the form of a

circular chart or pie where the slices of the pie show the size
of the data. A list of numerical variables along with
categorical variables is needed to represent data in the form of
a pie chart. The arc length of each slice and consequently the
area and central angle it forms in a pie chart is proportional to
the quantity it represents.
What is Pie Chart?

A pie chart is a type of a chart that visually displays data in a

circular graph. It is one of the most commonly used graphs to
represent data using the attributes of circles, spheres, and
angular data to represent real-world information. The shape of
a pie chart is circular where the pie represents the whole data
and the slice out of the pie represents the parts of the data.
Pie Chart Definition
A pie chart is a type of graph that records data in a circular
manner that is further divided into sectors for representing the
data of that particular part out of the whole part. Each of these
sectors or slices represents the proportionate part of the whole.
Pie charts, also commonly known as pie diagrams help in
interpreting and representing the data more clearly. It is also
used to compare the given data.
Pie Chart Example
Let us look at the following example of the following pie
chart that represents the ingredients used to prepare a butter
cake.
Example: The whole pie represents a value of 100. It is
divided into 10 slices or sectors. The various colors represent
the ingredients used to prepare the cake. What would be the
exact quantity of each of the ingredients represented in
specific colors in the following pie chart?
Solution: As we can see, the pie is divided into 10 slices or
sectors. To calculate the exact amount of ingredients that are
added to the cake, we divide the whole sector's value, i.e., 100
by the number of sectors. So, 100 ÷ 10 = 10. Hence, looking
at the color divisions made in the pie chart we can conclude
that:
Quantity of Flour 30

Quantity of Sugar 20

Quantity of Egg 40

Quantity of Butter 10
Pie Chart Formula
We know that the total value of the pie is always 100%. It is
also known that a circle subtends an angle of 360°. Hence, the
total of all the data is equal to 360°. Based on these, there are
two main formulas used in pie charts:
 To calculate the percentage of the given data, we use

the formula: (Frequency ÷ Total Frequency) × 100

 To convert the data into degrees we use the formula:

(Given Data ÷ Total value of Data) × 360°

We can work out the percentage for a given pie chart using
the steps given below,
 Categorize the given data and calculate the total

 Divide the different categories

 Convert the data into percentages

 Calculate the degrees

Let us understand the above steps using an example.

Example: Observe the following pie chart that represents the
money spent by Ana at the funfair. The indicated color shows
the amount spent on each category. The total value of the data
is 20 and the amount spent on each category is interpreted as
follows:
 Ice Cream - 4

 Toffees - 4

 Popcorn - 2

 Rides - 10
To convert this into pie chart percentage, we apply the
formula: (Frequency ÷ Total Frequency) × 100
Let us convert the above data into a percentage:
Amount spent on rides: (10/20)× 100 = 50%
Amount spent on toffees: (4/20)× 100 = 20%
Amount spent on popcorn: (2/20)× 100 = 10%
Amount spent on ice-cream: (4/20)× 100 = 20%
Example:
Observe the following pie chart that recommends a low-carb
diet on a day.
We measure the angles of each slice. We get that Protein
measures 180°, Carb measures 108°, and Fats measures 72°
To find the percentage, we divide each angle by 360 and
multiply it by 100.
Protein = (180/360) × 100 = 50%
Carb = (108/360) × 100 = 30%
Fats = (72/360) × 100 = 20%
Uses of Pie Chart

Whenever some data has to be represented visually as a

fractional part of a whole, we use pie charts. It is used to
compare the data and see why one is smaller/greater than the
other. Therefore, when we are dealing with a limited number
of buckets and discrete data sets, it’s better to use a pie chart.
Listed below are a few uses of a pie chart:
 In a business, it is used to compare the growth areas

such as profit and loss.

 In school, pie charts are used to show the time allotted

to each section, the grades of students in a form of

percentages, etc.
 Pie charts are used in comparing the relative size of

data of people owning the same vehicles, similar

houses, etc.
 They are used to represent the marketing and sales

data for the comparison of brands.

Steps to Construct Pie Chart

We use the following steps to construct a pie chart and using

the above-mentioned formulas, we can calculate the data.
 Step 1: Write all the data into a table and add up all the

values to get a total.

 Step 2: To find the values in the form of a percentage

divide each value by the total and multiply by 100.

 Step 3: To find how many degrees for each pie sector

we need, we take a full circle of 360° and use the

formula: (Frequency/Total Frequency) × 360°
 Step 4: Once all the degrees for creating a pie chart are

calculated, draw a circle (pie chart) using the

calculated measurements with the help of a protractor.
Example: Construct a pie chart to visually display the
favorite fruits of the students in a class based on the given
data: Mango - 45; Orange - 30; Plum - 15; Pineapple - 30;
Melon - 30
Solution:
Step 1: Create a table with the values and get the total.
 Mango 45

Orange 30

Plum 15

Pineapple 30

Melon 30

Total 150
Step 2: Find the percentage of each value:
Mango = (45/150) × 100 = 30%
Orange = (30/150) × 100 = 20%
Plum = (15/150) × 100 = 10%
Pineapple = (30/150) × 100 = 20%
Melon = (30/150) × 100 = 20%
Step 3: Finding the degree of each pie sector using the
formula: (Given data/Total Value of data) × 360°
Category Formula Degree

Mango (45/150) × 360 108°

Orange (30/150) × 360 72°

Plum (15/150) × 360 36°

Pineapple (30/150) × 360 72°

Melon (30/150) × 360 72°

With all the above degrees, with the help of a protractor draw
a pie chart. Thus, the pie chart looks like this:

Interpreting Pie Chart

To read or interpret a pie chart, we see if the given chart is

given in percentages or without any value. If it is given in
percentages, the conversion is made accordingly and
interpreted accordingly. Let us look at an example to
understand this better.
Example: The pie chart shown below shows the percentages
of types of transportation used by 500 students to come to
school. With this given information, answer the following
questions:
a) How many students come to school by bicycle?
b) How many students do not walk to school?
c) How many students come to school by bus and car?
Solution:
a) The students who come by bicycle = 25%; (25/100) × 500
= 25 × 5 = 125
b) The students who do not walk to school - We need to add
the values of all the remaining means, i.e., bus + car + bicycle
= 26 + 32 + 25 = 83
Hence, (83/100) × 500 = 83 × 5 = 415 students do not walk to
school.
c) The students who come by bus and car [(32 + 26)/100] ×
500 = 58 × 5 = 290
Pie Chart Advantages

Given below are the advantages to a pie chart which are the
reasons for the widespread application of pie charts in
different fields.
  A pie chart is a simple and easy-to-understand method
to represent the data visually as a fractional part of a
whole.
 It provides an effective communication tool visually

simpler than other types of graphs.

 Pie chart helps in data comparison for the audience at

a glance to give an immediate analysis or to quickly

understand information due to widespread use in
business and the media.
Pie Chart Disadvantages

There are few demerits in pie charts. These are as given

below,
 A pie chart cannot show more than a few values

without separating the visual encoding from the data

they represent, that is they are not very effective when
the number of values in a data set increases.
 It does not easily reveal exact values in the data set.

 To show the changes in the data, many pie charts may

be needed. It, therefore, fails to explain the causes,

effects, or patterns.
How to Make a Bar Graph?

Let us understand how to draw a bar graph with help of an

example. Amita went to the market for buying different types
of fruits in different quantities of each- 5 apples, 3 mangoes, 2
watermelons, 3 strawberries, 6 oranges. She wants to display
the data by making a bar graph so that she can visually
understand which type of fruits she buys the most.
Let us use the following steps to make a bar diagram of the
most bought fruit.
 Step 1: Take a paper and give the title of the bar graph

like "Most Bought Fruits".

 Step 2: Draw the horizontal axis (x-axis) and vertical

axis (y-axis) on a plane.

  Step 3: Now label the horizontal axis as "Types of
Fruits" which is an independent category and the
vertical axis as "Number of Fruits" which is a
dependent category.
 Step 4: Label the fruits' names such as apples,

mangoes, watermelon, strawberries, oranges and give

an equal gap or leave equal space between each fruit
on the horizontal axis.
 Step 5: Give the scale of the graph which shows the

way in which numbers are used in the data. It is a

system of marks at fixed intervals which helps in
measuring objects. For example, the scale of a graph
can be written as 1 unit = 1 fruit.
 Step 6: Now start making rectangular bars with equal

gaps for each fruit and give height to their respective

numbers.
 Step 7: The bar graph is ready, observe the heights of

the rectangular bars of each fruit and find out the most
bought fruit.
While drawing a bar graph it is very important to mention
four things - labels on axes, title, scale, and name of the axes.
From the above graph, we can easily say that orange is the
most bought fruit that AmitaS buys.
Also Check: Bar Graph Maker
Bar Graph vs Histogram

Here are the major differences between bar graphs

and histograms.
Bar Graphs Histograms

The bars in a bar graph

In histograms, the bars
are not adjacent to each
are adjacent
other.

A bar diagram is the A histogram is the

 Bar Graphs Histograms

graphical
graphical representation
representation of data
of precise data using
that is represented by
rectangular bars with
rectangular bars with
equal gaps between
no gaps between the
them.
bars.

Bar graphs are used to

Histograms are used to
compare various
represent distributions
variables and are used
of variables and plot
to plot categorical
quantitative data.
data.

Examples of Data for

Examples of Data for
Which Bar Graphs
Which Histograms
are Used: data of the
are Used: data of
population changes
types of animals, types
every year, marks
of colors, types of
obtained, monthly
movies, etc.
salary, etc.
Important Notes on Bar Graphs:
Given below are some important tips related to bar graphs.
 There must be equal spacing between the bars.

 First, understand the data presented on the x-axis and

y-axis and the relation between the two in terms of the

length of the bars.
 If the frequency of data is very large, then bar graphs

are always advisable since pictographs become time-

consuming and very difficult to make.
Pie Chart
A pie chart is a pictorial representation of data in the form of a
circular chart or pie where the slices of the pie show the size
of the data. A list of numerical variables along with
categorical variables is needed to represent data in the form of
a pie chart. The arc length of each slice and consequently the
area and central angle it forms in a pie chart is proportional to
the quantity it represents.
What is Pie Chart?
A pie chart is a type of a chart that visually displays data in a
circular graph. It is one of the most commonly used graphs to
represent data using the attributes of circles, spheres, and
angular data to represent real-world information. The shape of
a pie chart is circular where the pie represents the whole data
and the slice out of the pie represents the parts of the data and
records it discretely.
Pie Chart Definition
A pie chart is a type of graph that records data in a circular
manner that is further divided into sectors for representing the
data of that particular part out of the whole part. Each of these
sectors or slices represents the proportionate part of the whole.
Pie charts, also commonly known as pie diagrams help in
interpreting and representing the data more clearly. It is also
used to compare the given data.
Pie Chart Example
Let us look at the following example of the following pie
chart that represents the ingredients used to prepare a butter
cake.

Example: The whole pie represents a value of 100. It is

divided into 10 slices or sectors. The various colors represent
the ingredients used to prepare the cake. What would be the
exact quantity of each of the ingredients represented in
specific colors in the following pie chart?
Solution: As we can see, the pie is divided into 10 slices or
sectors. To calculate the exact amount of ingredients that are
added to the cake, we divide the whole sector's value, i.e., 100
by the number of sectors. So, 100 ÷ 10 = 10. Hence, looking
at the color divisions made in the pie chart we can conclude
that:
Quantity of Flour 30

Quantity of Sugar 20
 Quantity of Egg 40

Quantity of Butter 10
Pie Chart Formula

We know that the total value of the pie is always 100%. It is

also known that a circle subtends an angle of 360°. Hence, the
total of all the data is equal to 360°. Based on these, there are
two main formulas used in pie charts:
 To calculate the percentage of the given data, we use

the formula: (Frequency ÷ Total Frequency) × 100

 To convert the data into degrees we use the formula:

(Given Data ÷ Total value of Data) × 360°

We can work out the percentage for a given pie chart using
the steps given below,
 Categorize the given data and calculate the total

 Divide the different categories

 Convert the data into percentages

 Calculate the degrees

Let us understand the above steps using an example.

Example: Observe the following pie chart that represents the
money spent by Ana at the funfair. The indicated color shows
the amount spent on each category. The total value of the data
is 20 and the amount spent on each category is interpreted as
follows:
 Ice Cream - 4

 Toffees - 4

 Popcorn - 2

 Rides - 10
To convert this into pie chart percentage, we apply the
formula: (Frequency ÷ Total Frequency) × 100
Let us convert the above data into a percentage:
Amount spent on rides: (10/20)× 100 = 50%
Amount spent on toffees: (4/20)× 100 = 20%
Amount spent on popcorn: (2/20)× 100 = 10%
Amount spent on ice-cream: (4/20)× 100 = 20%
Example:
Observe the following pie chart that recommends a low-carb
diet on a day.
We measure the angles of each slice. We get that Protein
measures 180°, Carb measures 108°, and Fats measures 72°
To find the percentage, we divide each angle by 360 and
multiply it by 100.
Protein = (180/360) × 100 = 50%
Carb = (108/360) × 100 = 30%
Fats = (72/360) × 100 = 20%
Uses of Pie Chart

Whenever some data has to be represented visually as a

fractional part of a whole, we use pie charts. It is used to
compare the data and see why one is smaller/greater than the
other. Therefore, when we are dealing with a limited number
of buckets and discrete data sets, it’s better to use a pie chart.
Listed below are a few uses of a pie chart:
 In a business, it is used to compare the growth areas

such as profit and loss.

 In school, pie charts are used to show the time allotted

to each section, the grades of students in a form of

percentages, etc.
 Pie charts are used in comparing the relative size of

data of people owning the same vehicles, similar

houses, etc.
 They are used to represent the marketing and sales

data for the comparison of brands.

Steps to Construct Pie Chart

We use the following steps to construct a pie chart and using

the above-mentioned formulas, we can calculate the data.
 Step 1: Write all the data into a table and add up all the

values to get a total.

 Step 2: To find the values in the form of a percentage

divide each value by the total and multiply by 100.

 Step 3: To find how many degrees for each pie sector

we need, we take a full circle of 360° and use the

formula: (Frequency/Total Frequency) × 360°
 Step 4: Once all the degrees for creating a pie chart are

calculated, draw a circle (pie chart) using the

calculated measurements with the help of a protractor.
Example: Construct a pie chart to visually display the
favorite fruits of the students in a class based on the given
data: Mango - 45; Orange - 30; Plum - 15; Pineapple - 30;
Melon - 30
Solution:
Step 1: Create a table with the values and get the total.
 Mango 45

Orange 30

Plum 15

Pineapple 30

Melon 30

Total 150
Step 2: Find the percentage of each value:
Mango = (45/150) × 100 = 30%
Orange = (30/150) × 100 = 20%
Plum = (15/150) × 100 = 10%
Pineapple = (30/150) × 100 = 20%
Melon = (30/150) × 100 = 20%
Step 3: Finding the degree of each pie sector using the
formula: (Given data/Total Value of data) × 360°
Category Formula Degree

Mango (45/150) × 360 108°

Orange (30/150) × 360 72°

Plum (15/150) × 360 36°

Pineapple (30/150) × 360 72°

Melon (30/150) × 360 72°

With all the above degrees, with the help of a protractor draw
a pie chart. Thus, the pie chart looks like this:

Interpreting Pie Chart

To read or interpret a pie chart, we see if the given chart is

given in percentages or without any value. If it is given in
percentages, the conversion is made accordingly and
interpreted accordingly. Let us look at an example to
understand this better.
Example: The pie chart shown below shows the percentages
of types of transportation used by 500 students to come to
school. With this given information, answer the following
questions:
a) How many students come to school by bicycle?
b) How many students do not walk to school?
c) How many students come to school by bus and car?

Solution:
a) The students who come by bicycle = 25%; (25/100) × 500
= 25 × 5 = 125
b) The students who do not walk to school - We need to add
the values of all the remaining means, i.e., bus + car + bicycle
= 26 + 32 + 25 = 83
Hence, (83/100) × 500 = 83 × 5 = 415 students do not walk to
school.
c) The students who come by bus and car [(32 + 26)/100] ×
500 = 58 × 5 = 290
Pie Chart Advantages
Given below are the advantages to a pie chart which are the
reasons for the widespread application of pie charts in
different fields.
 A pie chart is a simple and easy-to-understand method

to represent the data visually as a fractional part of a

whole.
 It provides an effective communication tool visually

simpler than other types of graphs.

 Pie chart helps in data comparison for the audience at

a glance to give an immediate analysis or to quickly

understand information due to widespread use in
business and the media.
Pie Chart Disadvantages

There are few demerits in pie charts. These are as given

below,
 A pie chart cannot show more than a few values

without separating the visual encoding from the data

they represent, that is they are not very effective when
the number of values in a data set increases.
 It does not easily reveal exact values in the data set.

 To show the changes in the data, many pie charts may

be needed. It, therefore, fails to explain the causes,

effects, or patterns.
Related Topics:
Listed below are a few interesting topics that are related to the
concept of a pie chart, take a look!
 Measurement

 Angles

 Degrees