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Statistical diagrams 1 - Teacher Notes.docx

The complete notes with the teacher's notes and every model answer in full. Built from the lesson script on 29 September 2026.

EDEXCEL GCSE MATHS · FOUNDATION & HIGHER

Statistical diagrams 1

Interpreting and representing data · Lesson 1 of 6

Teacher copy - includes the notes for whoever is teaching from it.

Before We Start

Answer each one, then check.

1. How many degrees are there in a full turn?

360°

2. What is 25% of 360?

90

3. Write ¼ as a percentage.

25%

4. What is the mode of 3, 5, 5, 7?

5 - the most common value.

5. Work out 360 ÷ 60.

6

Learning Objectives

1. Tell the difference between types of data.

2. Use frequency tables and two-way tables.

3. Draw and read bar charts, including dual and composite bar charts.

4. Work out the angles for a pie chart and draw it.

5. Read information from a pie chart.

Types of Data

Qualitative (categorical)

Described in words: favourite colour, type of pet.

Quantitative

Numbers: height, number of siblings.

Discrete

Can only take certain values, usually counted: number of goals, shoe size.

Continuous

Can take any value in a range, usually measured: height, time, mass.

Primary data

Collected by you, for example with a questionnaire.

Secondary data

Collected by someone else, for example from a website.

Frequency Tables

A frequency table counts how often each value or category appears.

▸ Tally. Make a mark for each item, grouping them in fives with a line through four: it is easy to count.

▸ Frequency. The total count for each row.

▸ Check the total. The frequencies should add up to the number of items in the data.

▸ Grouped data. When there are many different values, group them into classes such as 10 < t ≤ 20 - "more than 10, up to and including 20".

Two-Way Tables

A two-way table shows two sets of information about the same group at once.

▸ Rows and columns. One piece of information across the top, the other down the side.

▸ Totals. The last row and column hold totals. Every row and every column adds up to its total.

▸ Filling in gaps. Use the totals: if you know a total and all but one of its parts, subtract.

▸ Reading. Read along a row and down a column to the cell where they meet.

A Two-Way Table

90 Year 10 students chose one school trip.

Theme park

Zoo

Museum

Total

Boys

23

8

14

45

Girls

17

15

13

45

Total

40

23

27

90

Completing a Two-Way Table

Using only these facts, find how many boys chose the museum: 90 students; 45 are boys; 40 chose the theme park, 23 of them boys; 15 girls chose the zoo; 23 students chose the zoo in total.

 

1. Boys who chose the zoo

23 − 15 = 8

2. Boys who chose the museum = boys − theme park − zoo

45 − 23 − 8

3. Work it out

14

Answer: 14 boys chose the museum

Dual or Composite Bar Chart?

DUAL BAR CHART

COMPOSITE BAR CHART

▸ Two bars side by side for each category.

▸ One bar for each group, e.g. boys and girls.

▸ Best for comparing the groups within each category.

▸ Needs a key.

▸ One bar for each category, split into parts.

▸ Each part shows one group, stacked on top.

▸ Best for seeing the total and how it is made up.

▸ Needs a key.

PART TWO

Pie Charts

Showing how a whole is shared out.

Drawing a Pie Chart

The whole circle, 360°, stands for the whole of the data.

▸ Degrees per item. Divide 360 by the total frequency.

▸ Each angle. Multiply each frequency by the degrees per item.

▸ Check. The angles must add up to 360°.

▸ Draw. Draw a radius, measure each angle with a protractor from the last line, and label every sector.

Working Out the Angles

60 students were asked their favourite sport. 360 ÷ 60 = 6, so each student is worth 6°.

Sport

Frequency

Angle

Football

21

21 × 6 = 126°

Tennis

9

9 × 6 = 54°

Swimming

18

18 × 6 = 108°

Other

12

12 × 6 = 72°

Total

60

360°

The Pie Chart

The biggest sector shows the most popular answer at a glance - here, football. A pie chart shows proportions, not numbers: to find how many chose a sport, you need the total as well as the angle.

Each student is 6° of the circle.

Reading a Pie Chart

A pie chart shows how 720 people travel to work. The sector for "cycle" has an angle of 75°. How many people cycle to work?

 

1. The sector is a fraction of the whole circle

75/360

2. Multiply by the total

75/360 × 720

3. Simplify: 720 ÷ 360 = 2

75 × 2

Answer: 150 people

Key Terms

Frequency

How many times a value or category appears.

Discrete data

Data that can only take particular values, usually counted.

Continuous data

Data that can take any value in a range, usually measured.

Two-way table

A table showing two sets of information about the same group.

Composite bar chart

A bar chart with each bar split into parts for different groups.

Sector

A "slice" of a pie chart.

Your Task: Class Survey

15 minutes

Ask everyone in the class one question with four or five possible answers (for example, "How did you get to school today?"). Record the answers in a two-way table split by boys and girls. Then draw a pie chart of all the answers and a dual bar chart comparing boys and girls.

1. Collect and tally the answers.

2. Fill in the two-way table and its totals.

3. Work out the angles, then draw the pie chart.

4. Draw the dual bar chart.

A good answer shows: A completed two-way table with correct totals, a pie chart whose angles add to 360°, and a labelled dual bar chart with a key.

Note: With 30 students, each is worth 12° - a good number to measure. If the class size gives awkward angles, round to the nearest degree and check the total.

Can I...?

☐ Say whether data is qualitative or quantitative.

☐ Say whether data is discrete or continuous.

☐ Complete a frequency table.

☐ Complete and read a two-way table.

☐ Draw and read dual and composite bar charts.

☐ Work out the angles for a pie chart.

☐ Draw a pie chart.

☐ Read information from a pie chart.

Summary

✓ Data is qualitative or quantitative; quantitative data is discrete or continuous.

✓ Two-way tables: every row and column adds up to its total.

✓ Pie chart angle = frequency × (360 ÷ total). The angles add to 360°.

✓ Number in a sector = angle/360 × total.

 

EXAM FOCUS

A pie chart shows how 900 people travel to work. The angle for bus is 80°. How many people travel by bus? (2 marks)

For any pie chart question, first work out what 1° (or 1 person) is worth. Everything else follows from that one number.

Exam Practice: Statistical Diagrams 1

Answer all questions. Show your working. Questions 1 to 3 are non-calculator. · 20 minutes

▸ Question 1 · 1 mark · Non-calculator. Is the number of people in a car discrete data or continuous data?

▸ Question 2 · 3 marks · Non-calculator. 80 students each study one language: French, Spanish or German. 42 of the students are girls. 17 boys study French. 21 students study…

▸ Question 3 · 3 marks · Non-calculator. 40 people were asked which pet they own. 14 own a dog, 11 own a cat, 5 own a fish and 10 own no pet. Work out the angle for each sector of…

▸ Question 4 · 2 marks · Calculator. The pie chart shows how 900 people travel to work. The angle for bus is 80°. How many people travel to work by bus?

Question 1 · 1 mark · Non-calculator

“Is the number of people in a car discrete data or continuous data?”

HOW TO ANSWER IT Command word: Non-calculator. Worth 1 mark, so plan before writing.

Question 1 · mark scheme

1 mark available. Award a mark for each point made.

▸ Discrete. B1

▸ Model answer. Discrete - it is counted, and can only be a whole number.

Question 2 · 3 marks · Non-calculator

“80 students each study one language: French, Spanish or German. 42 of the students are girls. 17 boys study French. 21 students study Spanish, and 12 of them are girls. How many boys study German?”

HOW TO ANSWER IT Command word: Non-calculator. Worth 3 marks, so plan before writing.

Question 2 · mark scheme

3 marks available. Award a mark for each point made.

▸ 38 boys, or a two-way table started with at least two correct values. P1

▸ 9 boys study Spanish. P1

▸ 12. A1

▸ Model answer. Boys: 80 − 42 = 38. Boys studying Spanish: 21 − 12 = 9. Boys studying German: 38 − 17 − 9 = 12.

Question 3 · 3 marks · Non-calculator

“40 people were asked which pet they own. 14 own a dog, 11 own a cat, 5 own a fish and 10 own no pet. Work out the angle for each sector of a pie chart.”

HOW TO ANSWER IT Command word: Non-calculator. Worth 3 marks, so plan before writing.

Question 3 · mark scheme

3 marks available. Award a mark for each point made.

▸ 360 ÷ 40 = 9, or one correct angle. M1

▸ At least two correct angles. A1

▸ All four correct: 126°, 99°, 45°, 90°. A1

▸ Model answer. 360 ÷ 40 = 9° per person. Dog 14 × 9 = 126°, cat 11 × 9 = 99°, fish 5 × 9 = 45°, none 10 × 9 = 90°.

Question 4 · 2 marks · Calculator

The pie chart shows how 900 people travel to work. The angle for bus is 80°. How many people travel to work by bus? (2 marks)

Question 4 · mark scheme

2 marks available. Award a mark for each point made.

▸ 80/360 × 900, or 900 ÷ 360 = 2.5. M1

▸ 200. A1

▸ Model answer. 80/360 × 900 = 200 people