← tutorwarren.com Functional Skills Maths
Entry Level · Topic 4

Data & Information

Reading bar charts, pictograms, tally charts, tables and timetables

What is data?

Data is information that has been collected and organised. In maths, we display data using charts, tables and graphs to make it easier to read and compare.

At Entry Level, you need to be able to read simple charts, find specific values, and make simple comparisons — like which category had the most or least.

Bar chart
Uses bars to show amounts
Pictogram
Uses pictures/symbols
Tally chart
Counts using marks
Table
Organises data in rows & columns

Bar charts

A bar chart uses rectangular bars to represent amounts. The height (or length) of each bar shows the value. Always read the scale on the axis carefully.

Favourite fruit — 30 students
Apple
14
Banana
9
Orange
7
💡 Reading bars: Find the top of the bar and read across to the number on the scale (the axis). Always check what each unit on the scale represents.

Tally charts

Tally charts use marks to count. Every 5th mark is drawn diagonally across the previous 4, making groups of 5 easy to count quickly.

|||| = 4
|||| | = 5 (one group)
|||| |||| = 10 (two groups)
|||| |||| ||| = 13
💡 Counting tallies: Count in groups of 5 (each bundle) then add the remaining single marks.

Tables & timetables

Tables organise data into rows (across) and columns (down). To find a value, find the right row and the right column and look where they meet.

Timetables are a type of table — they show times for buses, trains and other services. You need to find the right route and time.

💡 Reading a table: Use your finger or a ruler to trace across the row and down the column. Check column headings and row labels carefully before reading a value.

Most common value (Mode)

The mode is the value that appears most often in a data set. For example, in the list: 3, 5, 3, 7, 3, 9 — the number 3 appears three times, so the mode is 3.

In a bar chart, the mode is the tallest bar. In a table, it is the category with the highest frequency.

1Reading a bar chart
▼
A bar chart shows the number of pets owned by students. Dogs: 12, Cats: 9, Fish: 5, Rabbits: 4. How many more dogs than rabbits are there?
  1. 1Read the value for dogs: 12
  2. 2Read the value for rabbits: 4
  3. 3Find the difference: 12 − 4 = 8
✅ Answer: There are 8 more dogs than rabbits.
2Reading a tally chart
▼
A tally chart records favourite colours. Red: |||| |||| |, Blue: |||| ||||, Green: |||| ||. How many people chose red?
  1. 1Red tallies: |||| |||| |
  2. 2Count in groups of 5: first group = 5, second group = 5, then 1 extra.
  3. 35 + 5 + 1 = 11
✅ Answer: 11 people chose red.
3Reading a table
▼
Use the table to answer: How many people visited the library on Wednesday?
DayVisitors
Monday45
Tuesday38
Wednesday62
Thursday51
Friday70
  1. 1Find the row for Wednesday.
  2. 2Read across to the Visitors column: 62
✅ Answer: 62 people visited on Wednesday.
4Finding the total from a table
▼
Using the library table above, what is the total number of visitors from Monday to Friday?
  1. 1List all values: 45, 38, 62, 51, 70
  2. 2Add them up: 45 + 38 = 83
  3. 383 + 62 = 145
  4. 4145 + 51 = 196
  5. 5196 + 70 = 266
✅ Answer: 266 visitors in total.
5Finding the mode
▼
A class records the number of siblings each student has: 1, 2, 0, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 0, 2. What is the mode?
  1. 1Count how many times each number appears:
    0 appears: 2 times · 1 appears: 4 times · 2 appears: 3 times · 3 appears: 1 time
  2. 2The most frequent value is 1.
✅ Answer: The mode is 1.
6Reading a timetable
▼
A bus timetable shows: Stop A: 08:00, 08:30, 09:00. Stop B: 08:15, 08:45, 09:15. If you need to be at Stop B by 08:50, which bus should you catch at Stop A?
  1. 1You need to arrive at Stop B by 08:50.
  2. 2Check Stop B times: 08:15 ✓, 08:45 ✓, 09:15 ✗ (too late)
  3. 3The 08:45 arrival is within time. This bus leaves Stop A at 08:30.
✅ Answer: Catch the 08:30 bus from Stop A — it arrives at Stop B at 08:45.
Question 1
A bar chart shows sales of sandwiches: Cheese 15, Tuna 20, Egg 8, Ham 12.
Which filling was most popular?
Question 2
Sandwiches sold: Cheese 15, Tuna 20, Egg 8, Ham 12.
How many sandwiches were sold in total?
Question 3
A tally shows: ☑️ Monday: |||| ||   Tuesday: |||| ||||   Wednesday: ||||
How many were recorded on Tuesday?
Question 4
A table shows test scores: Ali 72, Beth 85, Carlos 68, Dana 85, Eve 91.
What is the mode (most common score)?
Question 5
A bus timetable: Town centre departs 10:00, 10:30, 11:00. Hospital arrives 10:20, 10:50, 11:20.
You need to be at the hospital by 11:00. Which bus should you catch?
Question 6
A bar chart shows monthly rainfall (mm): Jan 80, Feb 65, Mar 50, Apr 40, May 30.
How much more rain fell in January than in May?
Question 7
A pictogram uses 🙂 to represent 4 people. A row shows 🙂🙂🙂 and a half symbol.
How many people does the row represent?
Question 8
Weekly gym attendance: Mon 24, Tue 18, Wed 30, Thu 22, Fri 26.
On which day was attendance lowest?