Graphical Representation of Data

General Rules for Graphical Representation of Data

There are certain rules to effectively present the data and information in the graphical representation. They are:
• Appropriate title: The title of the graph should be self-explanatory. So that audience do not have any confusion
in understanding the content of the graph.
• Axis’s should have appropriate label.
• Categories represented by different axis should be clearly mentioned.
• Measurement units (if any) must be mentioned clearly.
• Use of appropriate scaling is a vital issue.
• Legends used in the graph should be duly labeled.
• Data Sources should be included where ever needed.
• Keep it Simple: Construct a graph in an easy way that everyone can understand.

Different types of charts and graphs:

Data charts are available in a wide variety of maps, diagrams, and graphs. Selection of the most
appropriate chart depends on a variety of different factors, such as –
i. Objective the researcher
ii. The nature of the data,
iii. The purpose of the chart, and
iv. Types of variable etc.

For example, some of the most frequently graphs are used for

Bar chart
Usually used for qualitative or discrete variable
Pie diagram

Histogram
Frequency polygon
Percentage polygon Usually used for continuous variable
Line diagram
Cumulative frequency polygon

Stem and leaf plot

STA 101_Introduction to Statistics
Basic Concepts

Bar Chart
In a bar chart, a bar shows each category. The length of the bar represents the amount, frequency or percentage of values
falling into a category.

Example 1:
Figure 1 displays the bar chart for the people’s preference to do their banking as depicted in table 1. Bar chart allows
researchers to compare the percentages in different categories. In figure 1: respondents are most likely to bank in person at
a branch and on the internet, followed by drive through service at a branch and ATM. Very few respondents mentioned
automated or live telephone.

Table 1: Table of percentage distribution of Figure 1: Bar chart for Banking Preference
banking preference of the customer of BANK
XYZ 45

Banking Preference Frequency (%) 40

35

ATM 56(16%) 30

Percentage (%)
25
Automated or live telephone 7 (7%)
20
Drive-through service at branch 63 (18%) 15

10
In person at branch 140 (40%)
5
Internet 84 (24%) 0
ATM Automated or live Drive-through In person at Internet
Total 350 (100%) telephone service at branch branch
Preferences

Example 2:
A sample of 868 mutual funds has been selected and questions were asked to assess and categories the risk associated with
the customer’s investments in mutual funds. Of the 868 mutual funds 202 funds are classified as the low risk funds, 311
funds are classified as average-risk fund and the rest of 355 funds are categorized as high- risk. Hence the summary table1
of levels of risk of mutual funds is given below.

Table 2: Frequency and Percentage Summary table of Figure 2: Bar Chart for Level of Risk
Risk Level for 868 Mutual Funds

High
Fund Risk Number of Percentage of funds (%)
Level funds
Level of Risk

Low 202 23.37

Average
Average 311 35.83

High 355 40.89

Low

Total 864 100.00

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Frequency

1
A summary table indicates the frequency, amount or percentage of items in a set of categories so that one can see
differences between the categories. A summary table lists the categories in one column and the frequency/ percentage /
amount in a different column.
 Iftekhar M S Kalam
Assistant Professor, MNS

The Pie Chart

The Pie Chart is a Circle broken up into slices that represent categories. The size of each slice of the pie varies according
to the percentage in each category.

In table 1 of this lecture 16% of the respondents stated that they prefer to bank using ATM. Thus in constructing the pie
chart, the 360 degrees that makes up a circle is multiplied by 0.16, resulting in a slice of the pie that takes up 57.6 degrees
of the 360 degrees of the circle. In this figure, bank in person at the branch takes 41% of the pie and automated or live
telephone takes only 2%.

Figure 3: Pie Chart for Banking Preferences

In case of pie diagram –
ATM Angle of the slice of pie for a particular
Internet 16%
Automated or live
24% category Frequency (or Percentage) of that
telephone
2% particular item.

Drive-through
service at branch If the frequency / value / percentage of any
17%
component is f from the whole N then the angle
of pie for that particular component is

In person at branch
41%

Which chart should one use – a bar chart or a pie chart?

The selection of a particular chart often depends on the intention of the researcher. If a comparison of categories is most
important, one should use a bar chart. If observing the portion of the whole that is in a particular category is most important,
one should use a pie chart.

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STA 101_Introduction to Statistics
Basic Concepts

Test yourself
Assignment 003

1. Complete the following table.

Grades on Statistics Relative
Frequency Percentage
examination Frequency

A: 90 – 100 0.08

B: 80 – 89 36

C: 65 – 79 90

D: 50 – 64 30

F: Below 50 28

Total 200 1.00

2. Following are the different brands of laptops sold form a computer shop.

Y X X Z X Y Y Y X X

Z X Y Y X Z Y Y Y X

a. Construct a frequency distribution table for the information given above.

b. Compute the relative frequency for each of the brands and comment on the market share.
c. Display the results, part a, in a frequency bar graph.
d. Display the results, part b, in a pie chart.

3. Assume telecommunication companies in Bangladesh spent about BDT 300 million in advertising. The spending is as
follows:
Media Amount ($ millions) Percentage (%)
Radio 20 6.67
Internet 30 10.00
Cinema 5 1.67
Direct mail 15 5.00
Magazines 35 11.67
Newspapers 65 21.67
Outdoor 45 15.00
TV 35 11.67
Other 50 16.67
300 100
a. Construct a bar chart and a pie chart.
b. Which graphical method do you think is best to portray these data?

4. The following data set represents the scores on intelligence quotient (IQ) examinations of 40 sixth-grade students at a
particular school:
114 122 103 118 99 105 134 125 117 106
109 104 111 127 133 111 117 103 120 98
100 130 141 119 128 106 109 115 113 121
100 130 125 117 119 113 104 108 110 102
a. Organize the data in classes such as 90 – 100, 100 – 110 and so on.
b. Present the data set in a frequency histogram.
 Iftekhar M S Kalam
Assistant Professor, MNS

5. The international Rhino Federation estimates that there are 25280 rhinoceroses living in the wild in Africa and Asia.
A breakdown of the number of rhinos of each species is reported in the accompanying table.

Rhino Species Population Estimate

White rhino 18000
Black rhino 4240
Greater One-horned rhino 2800
Sumatran Rhino 200
Javan Rhino 40
Total 25280

a. Construct a relative frequency table for the data.

b. Display the frequencies in a bar graph.
c. Display the frequencies in a pie chart.
d. What proportion of the 25280 rhinos are White rhinos? Black?

For any queries related to this presentation please contact

IFTEKHAR Mohammad Shafiqul Kalam
Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Email: [email protected]

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