Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________________
No doubt you have seen plenty of tables, graphs, and charts. They are used to show information in a visual way that organizes data and allows us to make sense of what we are reading. Tables can be used to create class schedules so we can easily see at a glance when and where our classes are being held. If you watch the Weather Network, you may have seen forecasts using a line graph showing the ups and downs of the temperature over the course of the week. Perhaps you have seen pie charts in a newspaper article talking about statistics.
Note: This lesson may count toward a graphing assignment in Science 4. Check with your science teacher.
1.
Go to this website: http://www.mcwdn.org/Graphs/TabGraphMain.html
On this website you will learn some basic information about:

Tables

Bar Graphs

Column Graphs

Line Graphs

Pie Charts. a.
On this website, click Tables in the top centre cell of the chart. Read the information about tables then try the Tables Quiz by clicking the link. b.
Do the same for each of the other types of graphs. c.
See Ray Williams to complete a mini quiz on this topic.
Read the following information and complete the blanks beside each of the graphs.
A well-constructed graph that clearly relates its information will have the following points.
 Title near the top that explains the data presented
 Label and units for the vertical (y) axis (this is the axis where the independent variable is graphed)
 Label and units for the horizontal (x) axis (this is the axis where the dependent variable is graphed)
 Legend – to distinguish between multiple sets of data presented on the same graph.
Technical Communications 1043 2012-2013 Ray Williams@nscc.ca

Technical Communications 1043
Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________________
This is a sample of a __________ graph.
Identify the following:
Title:
Legend:
X Axis
Y Axis (What’s missing) ______________
This is a sample of a ___________ chart/graph.
Identify the missing features:
This is a sample of a ___________ graph.
Identify the following:
Title:
Legend:
X Axis
Y Axis
2012-2013 Ray Williams@nscc.ca

Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________________
Instructions- Read Carefully
Below are three sets of data. For each of the spreadsheets below:
1.
Choose the best style of graph (line, pie, or column) to use to present the data.
2.
Copy the data from the chart below to an Excel spreadsheet.
3.
Construct a graph for each set of data. Construct your graphs using Excel.
4.
Use a formula to determine the average and or sum where necessary
5.
Answer the questions to interpret the data.
Chart A
Life Expectancy
Newfoundland
PEI
NS
NB
Quebec
Ont
Man
Sask
Alberta
BC
Canadian Average
Male
76
78
77
78
79
79
77
77
78
79
Female
81
83
82
83
83
83
82
82
83
84
1.
Which province (if any) has a higher life expectancy for males?
______________________
2.
If you were a female, which province would you like to be born in (from a life expectancy perspective? ___________________________________
3.
Which province has the lowest life expectancy? ___________________________
4.
Which provinces are at or closest to the Canadian Average for male life expectancy?
________________________________________________________
Technical Communications 1043 2012-2013 Ray Williams@nscc.ca

Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________________
Chart B Where do your tax dollars go?
Data for the breakdown of how money collected from property taxes is allocated in Halifax
Regional Municipality.
Item
Transit, Streets and Roads
Libraries and Recreation
Water, Wastewater and Storm water
Recycling and Composting
Other
Policing, Fire and Emergency
Total
Dollar amount/month
% of
Total
34.77
11.83
43.97
10.42
10.06
56.44
In Excel, use formulas to calculate % and total. (Example of an absolute cell reference- $b$3 (F4)
1.
What is a suitable title for this graph/chart? __________________________ (Add the chart title to your chart.
2.
What percentage of your property taxes goes to police, fire and emergency protection?
______________________.
3.
What is the total monthly amount that this person pays to the city for HRM property taxes?
_____________________
Chart C Total monthly rainfall for 3 Atlantic Canada Capital cities in 2011.
Values are in mm.
City
St John's
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
74 61 77 94 94 100 89 108 131 159 116 88
Halifax 95 69 97 98 111 108 107 97 100 125 129 118
Charlottetown 42 30 39 59 94 93 86 87 95 105 87 63
Total
1.
What city had the lowest monthly rainfall for the summer months? ____________________
2.
What city had the highest overall rainfall for 2011? _______________________
3.
Which month had the highest rainfall for the year among all three cities?
________________
4.
What was the average monthly amount of rainfall for Halifax for the year?
___________________ (you will need to do a formula to calculate this on Excel.
Technical Communications 1043 2012-2013 Ray Williams@nscc.ca