What is important to know about Bar charts & pictograms?

In a bar chart, the height (or length) of each bar represents the frequency.

What is important to know about Bar charts & pictograms?

Bars in a bar chart should be equal width with gaps between them (for discrete data).

What is important to know about Bar charts & pictograms?

A dual bar chart compares two data sets side by side.

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Statistics & Probability · Foundation & Higher

Bar charts & pictograms

Bar charts and pictograms are ways to display categorical or discrete data. You need to draw them accurately and use them to read off and compare data values.

Revising bar charts & pictograms the night before an exam? These are condensed revision notes — the facts, formulas and mistakes examiners actually mark, with no long explanations. Prefer a full walkthrough with step-by-step reasoning instead? Search “Bar charts & pictograms GCSE” on the site for the complete guide.

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Key facts to remember

1In a bar chart, the height (or length) of each bar represents the frequency.
2Bars in a bar chart should be equal width with gaps between them (for discrete data).
3A dual bar chart compares two data sets side by side.
4In a pictogram, each symbol represents a fixed number of items — use the key.
5Half a symbol in a pictogram represents half the key value.
6Frequency density is not used for bar charts — only for histograms.

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Worked examples

Example 1

A pictogram uses ★ = 4 students. A subject has 3½ stars. How many students chose it?

Working

Each star = 4 students
3½ stars = 3.5 × 4 = 14 students

Answer14 students

Example 2

A bar chart shows 40 students chose maths, 25 chose English, 35 chose science. What fraction chose science?

Working

Total = 40 + 25 + 35 = 100
Fraction for science = 35/100 = 7/20

Answer7/20

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Common mistakes

✗Drawing bars of unequal width in a bar chart.

✗Misreading the pictogram key — always check how many each symbol represents.

✗Joining the tops of bars with lines (this turns it into a line graph, which is for continuous data).

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Exam tips

✓Always label both axes clearly with a title and units.

✓For pictograms, use a ruler to draw symbols of consistent size and check the key carefully.

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