Picture Graphs and Bar Graphs
Aligned to 3.MD.B.3 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

What this lesson teaches
Graphs show data with pictures or bars. In a scaled graph, each picture or grid line can stand for more than one thing, so read the key first.
Worked examples
Example 1
A picture graph shows apples where each apple picture means 2 fruits. If a row has 4 apple pictures, that stands for 4 × 2 = 8 fruits.
Example 2
A bar graph's grid lines count by 5. A bar reaching the third line stands for 15, not 3.
Example 3
Always read the key or the scale first. The same bar means 4 on a graph counting by 2s and 20 on a graph counting by 10s.
Practice questions
- If each star means 5 books, how many books do 3 stars show?
- A bar graph shows 6 dogs and 4 cats. How many more dogs than cats?
- Each square means 2 votes. A bar of 5 squares is how many votes?
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Pictogramas y Gráficas de Barras
Las gráficas muestran datos con dibujos o barras. En una gráfica a escala, cada dibujo o línea puede representar más de una cosa, así que lee primero la clave.
Ejemplo 1: Un pictograma muestra manzanas donde cada dibujo de manzana significa 2 frutas. Si una fila tiene 4 dibujos de manzana, eso representa 4 × 2 = 8 frutas.
Ejemplo 2: Las líneas de una gráfica de barras cuentan de 5 en 5. Una barra que llega a la tercera línea representa 15, no 3.
Ejemplo 3: Siempre lee primero la clave o la escala. La misma barra significa 4 en una gráfica que cuenta de 2 en 2 y 20 en una que cuenta de 10 en 10.
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