WombatMaths
All Year 4 topics

Statistics · Data

Reading graphs and tallies

Read data from column graphs, pictographs and tally marks.

Victorian Curriculum VC2M4ST01 · 46 questions · 46 step-by-step

How we teach it

This is what sits under the answer sheets in the app — the same cards, clips and lessons your child sees after a question.

The concept cards

One picture that says the whole idea. Every answer sheet on this topic points back to its card.

RememberChance — ordering eventsChance is the likelihood of something happening.If something will definitely happen, we say it is certain.If something has an even chance of happening, it is just as likely to happen as not to happen.If something can’t happen, it is impossible.If something might happen, we say it is likely. If it might not happen, we say it is unlikely.impossibleunlikelyeven chancelikelycertainRememberChance — probabilityProbability is the measure of how likely something is to happen.Look at the bowl of balls. The expected probability of choosing a black ball is 2 out of 5 — because out of 5 possible balls, 2 are black.Expected results can be different from actual results. If we chose a ball without looking 5 times and it was black each time, that would be surprising — but not impossible.2 out of 5RememberChance — fair and unfairWhen everyone has the same chance of winning a game, it is fair. When there is not the same chance for everyone, the game is unfair.If landing on black scores 1 point, these spinners are unfair: there is a greater chance of landing on black with Spinner 2 than with Spinner 1.Spinner 1Spinner 2RememberChance — coin investigationIf we toss 2 coins, we can expect 4 possible outcomes.A table shows every outcome: HH, HT, TH and TT.Coin 1Coin 2HTHHHHTTTHTTCould the coins land on HH four times in a row? Yes — but it would be a surprising result.Possible outcomesTossTTTHHHHT1   2   3   4   RememberData — asking questions and collecting dataData is information. We collect data to help us find out about the world.Data can be in the form of numbers, words or pictures. We organise and record data so that we can look at it easily and learn more.numberswordspicturesRememberData — talliesThe tally method is where we count in 5s. We put a stroke for each number, and the fifth one is a line that goes diagonally through.= 5= 12RememberData — column graphsColumn graphs are a clear way of showing and comparing data.The horizontal line has the different categories. The vertical line has the numbers — the scale. There should always be a heading at the top, so it is easy to see what the data is about.Favourite petsthe heading02468DogCatFishBirdNumber of childrenthe scalethe categoriesRememberData — picture graphsPicture graphs use pictures to show how many items are in each category.They have a title that tells us the data that has been collected. A key tells us the value of the symbol: here one whole cupcake stands for 2 cupcakes, and half a cupcake stands for 1.Cupcakes soldMonday6Tuesday3Wednesday8Key = 2 cupcakes = 1 cupcakeRememberData — dot plotsA dot plot uses a number line where the numbers are the categories. The dots show the amount in each category.Goals scored in a match012345goalsRememberData — two-way tablesA two-way table can show a lot of information in a small space. This one organises information about shapes.Is symmetricalIs not symmetricalHas 4 sides Does not have 4 sides RememberData — Venn diagramsA Venn diagram also shows lots of information in a small space. This one shows what class 4S eat at recess.FruitMuesli bars15463This shows us that:15 kids just eat fruit6 kids just eat muesli bars4 kids eat both fruit and muesli bars3 kids eat neitherthere are 28 kids in 4S

Try the interactive lesson: Spin it! — chance with two spinners

Predict, then spin twelve times and compare what happened with what the spinner promised. Three challenges, and a wrong answer gets a hint, never the answer.

Open the lesson on its own page

Try the interactive lesson: Chance — ordering events with a dice

Turn the dice, find all six numbers, then work out where rolling a 7, rolling 1 to 6 and rolling one particular number belong on the chance scale — impossible, unlikely, even chance, likely, certain.

Open the lesson on its own page

One question, as your child sees it

And the answer sheet that follows a second wrong try: what we know, what we need, the steps, a check, the answer.

This spinner has 8 equal sections.
24462424
Which number is MOST likely to be spun?
  • A2
  • B4
  • C6
  • Dthey are all equally likely

First hint: Every section is the same size, so the number on the most sections has the best chance.

The answer sheet

We know
A spinner with 8 equal sections. The numbers on them: 2, 4, 4, 6, 2, 4, 2, 4.
We need
The number MOST likely to be spun.
24462424

count the sections for each number: 2 on 3 sections, 4 on 4 sections, 6 on 1 section.

Number246
Sections341

every section is the same size, so more sections means more chances to land there.

4 has the most sections (4 out of 8), so 4 is most likely.

Watch out

"All equally likely" would need the same number of sections for each number. Here they differ: 3, 4 and 1.

RememberChance — fair and unfairWhen everyone has the same chance of winning a game, it is fair. When there is not the same chance for everyone, the game is unfair.If landing on black scores 1 point, these spinners are unfair: there is a greater chance of landing on black with Spinner 2 than with Spinner 1.Spinner 1Spinner 2
Check

3 + 4 + 1 = 8 sections. ✓

Answer

4

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