Read a Picture Graph

Read a picture graph

A picture graph uses pictures or symbols to show how many of each item there are. The key tells you how many items one picture represents. To answer a question, you need to read the title, check the key, count the pictures in each category, and then convert that count into the actual number.

Method

1. Find the key. See what one picture stands for.
2. Count the pictures. Count carefully in the category named by the question.
3. Multiply if needed. If one picture represents more than 1 item, multiply the number of pictures by the value in the key.
4. Simplify the answer. Give the final total in simplest form, with no extra steps or unsimplified expressions.

Example of a check

If a category has 4 pictures and the key says 1 picture = 3 objects, the total should be 12. You can check by counting in groups of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting to use the key
• Counting symbols in the wrong category
• Adding when you should multiply
• Leaving the answer unsimplified

Always make sure your final answer matches both the picture count and the key.