1
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# how do you differentiate between categories in a pie chart?

By Lee Mansfield on the 11th of June, 2012

• 1
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Pie charts are often colour-coded so that you can tell what each slice represents. Which colour belongs to which category is given in what is called a "key".

By Jim Gather on the 11th of June, 2012

## Draw and interpret pie charts

Pie charts are a way of displaying data. They get their name because they look a bit like pies from above, with different sized slices of pie being cut depending on the data you have.

I your exam, you'll need to know both how to read pie charts, and also how to construct your own.

Example:

First things first, we need to know how to read the data represented in a pie chart.

The chart below represents the results of a survey on a class of 24 students to find out their favourite colours.

Looking at the graph we can tell straight away, that half the class picked blue as their favourite colour. Yellow came in second with a quarter of the class choosing it, then red and green joint last with an eigth each.

So by using the fractions of the circle, we can see that 12 students favour blue, 6 favour yellow,  3 favour green and 3 favour red.

To fully understand what a pie chart is you will need to know how to construct one

Constructing a Pie chart:

In order to construct a pie chart, we first need to find out the fraction of the total that each slice represents.

1. First work out the total frequency. This can be done by adding all the frequencies together.
2. Find the fraction of the total frequency for each colour. = Frequency/Total Frequency
3. Then find the angle. = (Frequency/Total frequency) x 360

This will give you the angles shown in the table below, and then you just have to draw the graph using those angles.

 Colour Frequency Angle Blue 5 (5÷40)x360 = 45 Red 10 (10÷40) x 360 = 90 Green 10 (10÷40) x 360 = 90 Purple 15 (15÷40) x 360 = 135 Total 40 360

To draw a pie chart, follow the steps listed below:

1. Draw a circle using a compass
2. From the centre draw a line vertically up. This will be the 0° line.
3. Using a protractor and the 0° line use the angles you worked out to plot the pie char

## Follow the links below to see how this topic has appeared in past exam papers

AQA Unit 1 March 2011 (F) - Page 9, Question 5c

AQA Unit 1 November 2011 (F) - Page 6, Question 4

Edexcel Paper 1 November 2010 (F) - Page 16, Question 15

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The text passage provides an explanation of how to differentiate between categories in a pie chart and how to construct one. It includes an example of a pie chart and the steps to create one, but it does not contain a mathematical question or an answer to a question.
no_question
Given a text passage, determine:
    1. If it contains a mathematical question (including word problems or calculations)
    2. If an answer to that mathematical question is provided in the text

First, describe the content structure you found in 1-2 sentences.

Then provide your analysis in the following format:
TYPE: <one of the following values>
- NO_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION_WITH_ANSWER
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS_WITH_ANSWERS
system
1
Vote

# how do you differentiate between categories in a pie chart?

By Lee Mansfield on the 11th of June, 2012

• 1
Vote

Pie charts are often colour-coded so that you can tell what each slice represents. Which colour belongs to which category is given in what is called a "key".

By Jim Gather on the 11th of June, 2012

## Draw and interpret pie charts

Pie charts are a way of displaying data. They get their name because they look a bit like pies from above, with different sized slices of pie being cut depending on the data you have.

I your exam, you'll need to know both how to read pie charts, and also how to construct your own.

Example:

First things first, we need to know how to read the data represented in a pie chart.

The chart below represents the results of a survey on a class of 24 students to find out their favourite colours.

Looking at the graph we can tell straight away, that half the class picked blue as their favourite colour. Yellow came in second with a quarter of the class choosing it, then red and green joint last with an eigth each.

So by using the fractions of the circle, we can see that 12 students favour blue, 6 favour yellow,  3 favour green and 3 favour red.

To fully understand what a pie chart is you will need to know how to construct one

Constructing a Pie chart:

In order to construct a pie chart, we first need to find out the fraction of the total that each slice represents.

1. First work out the total frequency. This can be done by adding all the frequencies together.
2. Find the fraction of the total frequency for each colour. = Frequency/Total Frequency
3. Then find the angle. = (Frequency/Total frequency) x 360

This will give you the angles shown in the table below, and then you just have to draw the graph using those angles.

 Colour Frequency Angle Blue 5 (5÷40)x360 = 45 Red 10 (10÷40) x 360 = 90 Green 10 (10÷40) x 360 = 90 Purple 15 (15÷40) x 360 = 135 Total 40 360

To draw a pie chart, follow the steps listed below:

1. Draw a circle using a compass
2. From the centre draw a line vertically up. This will be the 0° line.
3. Using a protractor and the 0° line use the angles you worked out to plot the pie char

## Follow the links below to see how this topic has appeared in past exam papers

AQA Unit 1 March 2011 (F) - Page 9, Question 5c

AQA Unit 1 November 2011 (F) - Page 6, Question 4

Edexcel Paper 1 November 2010 (F) - Page 16, Question 15

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### How do I find 15% of a value?

By Verity Painter on the 8th of January, 2013

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### How do I create a pie chart in excel?

By Verity Painter on the 8th of January, 2013

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### how to make a pie chart

By Verity Painter on the 7th of January, 2013

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user
The text passage provides an explanation of how to differentiate between categories in a pie chart and how to construct one. It includes an example of a pie chart and the steps to create one, but it does not contain a mathematical question or an answer to a question.

TYPE: NO_QUESTION