Using Excel to interpret charts
Set up a simple Excel spreadsheet with a table of data and an embedded chart. Project the spreadsheet and ask students to describe the chart in words. Encourage use of comparisons of bars using ratio and percentages. I differentiate level by directed questioning and changing the data in the spreadsheet to exagerate. Extend by asking students to compare proportions in two pie charts or two percentage bar charts. You can download an example spreadsheet.
I have 4 worksheets set up in an Excel workbook so that the data tables are the same to start off with but independent. Topical datasets are good.
- I start with a bar chart and ask for fraction words to compare the length of the bars.
- Next a directly related situation involving a clustered bar chart drawn from a two way table (say the previous data broken down by gender)
- Next then a percentage bar chart comparing the same data. Now we are using fraction words to compare proportions . This is an extension activity for most of the students I teach
- Finishing up with a pie chart shows that pie charts are hard to interpret
- I use this as an 'oral starter' but you could encourage people to draft sentences about the charts
- You can hide the numbers in the data table by setting the text colour to white. You can still change the numbers to alter the graphs!
Below is a screen grab of an example spreadsheet with some example questions. I project the spreadsheet using Excel's full screen view. You can download the spreadsheet.
- Compare the Walk and Bus bars. Can you make a sentence that includes a fraction?
- Compare the Cycle and Car bars. Can you make a sentence that includes 'x times more'?
- Compare the Walk and Car bars. If the Car bar was 100%, what percentage is the Walk bar? Estimate!
- HD1/E3.2 Make numerical comparisons from bar charts and pictograms
- N2 - talking about fractions and using fractions vocabulary in different contexts but I can't find a specific curriculum reference
Originally added on Thursday, April 3, 03
in category: ilt in maths
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ilt in maths