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D1.4 · Create a data infographic with tables and circle graphs

Learn to create a data infographic with tables and circle graphs through clear examples and targeted practice.

Ontario Grade 7 Mathematics

Data

Grade 7 Mathematics — D1.4

An infographic is a visual way to share information. It can combine words, numbers, a table, and a graph. In this lesson, you will use a table and a circle graph to present one set of data clearly. The data in the examples are hypothetical, which means they are made up for practice. A circle graph shows how parts of one whole compare. Each category must be part of the same whole, and all categories together must account for the whole.

What you will learn

  • Organize a set of data in a clear table.
  • Use a circle graph to show how categories make up a whole.
  • Create a simple infographic that combines a title, a table, a circle graph, and a short explanation.

From a set of answers to a table

Imagine that a class records how 20 students travel to school on one particular day. The class groups the answers into four categories: walk, bus, car, and bicycle. These are hypothetical data, not a report about a real class.
A table puts information into rows and columns. A row can name a category. Another column can show how many answers belong to that category. The number of answers is called the frequency. In this example, frequency means the count of students in a category.
Before making a graph, check what the counts describe. They must all refer to the same group and the same question. Then add the counts to find the total. Here, the counts add to 20, so the table accounts for all 20 students.
A table helps readers find exact counts. A circle graph helps readers see how each category compares with the whole. Using both in an infographic gives readers a quick visual and the exact numbers behind it.
total\text{total} = sum of category counts
  • Give the table a clear title and label its columns.
  • Check that the category counts add to the stated total.
  • Use one consistent group and question for the data.

Show parts of a whole in a circle graph

A circle graph is a circle split into sections. The whole circle stands for all the data. Each section stands for one category. A larger share of the data gets a larger section.
A percentage is a way to describe part of a whole out of 100 equal parts. To find a category's percentage, compare its count with the total. Divide the category count by the total, then multiply by 100. For example, 6 out of 20 is 30% because 6 divided by 20 is 0.3, and 0.3 times 100 is 30.
The percentages in a complete circle graph add to 100%. This is a useful check: if they do not add to 100%, a category may be missing or a calculation may be wrong. Label each section with its category and percentage, or provide a clear key that matches each category to its section.
A circle graph is useful when categories make up one whole and you want to compare their shares. It is not a good choice if the categories overlap or if they do not describe parts of one total.
percentage=category counttotal×100%\text{percentage} = \frac{\text{category count}}{\text{total}} \times 100\%
  • The complete circle represents 100% of the data.
  • Find a percentage by dividing a category count by the total and multiplying by 100.
  • Check that the category percentages add to 100%.

Plan an infographic readers can understand

An infographic combines information with a visual layout. Start with a short title that tells readers what the data are about. Include the table and circle graph, and label both. A brief note can explain the main pattern without making a claim the data do not support.
Keep category names the same in the table and graph. If the table says “Bicycle,” do not call that category “Bike” in the graph unless you make clear that the labels mean the same thing. Use a key if colours or patterns stand for categories. Choose colours that are easy to tell apart.
Include the total and say where the data came from. For classroom practice with invented numbers, label the data as hypothetical. Do not present made-up data as if they were collected from real people.
Before sharing the infographic, check the counts, percentages, title, labels, and source note. Ask whether someone who has not seen the data before could understand what the whole represents and what each category means.
  • Use matching category labels in the table and graph.
  • State the total and identify the data as hypothetical when they are invented.
  • Make the title, labels, and source note easy to find.

A simple creation routine

First, state the question and identify the group being described. Next, organize the categories and counts in a table. Add the counts to check the total. Then calculate each percentage and check that the percentages add to 100%.
After checking the numbers, make the circle graph and label its sections. Finish by arranging the title, table, graph, and a short note as one infographic. Read it as a viewer would: can you tell what was counted, what the whole is, and how the categories compare?
The examples below use made-up data for practice. Their graph figures show the category percentages, while the worked steps show how to get those percentages from the counts.
  • Organize and check the data before making the graph.
  • Use the graph to show parts of the whole, not unrelated counts.
  • Review the finished infographic for accuracy and clarity.

Hypothetical travel data from Example 1

Travel categoryStudentsPercentage
Walk840%
Bus630%
Car420%
Bicycle210%
Total20100%

Worked example

Travel to school

A hypothetical class of 20 students records how each student travelled to school on one day. The counts are: walk, 8; bus, 6; car, 4; bicycle, 2. Find the percentage for each category and describe a suitable infographic.
Hypothetical travel choices
Hypothetical travel choicesEach section shows the percentage of the 20 students in that category.Walk: 40%Bus: 30%Car: 20%Bicycle: 10%hypothetical data

Each section shows the percentage of the 20 students in that category.

  1. Check the whole
    Add the four counts. They total 20, matching the stated class total, so all students are represented.
    8+6+4+2=208 + 6 + 4 + 2 = 20
  2. Find each share
    Compare each category count with 20. For example, 8 of 20 is 40%. Repeat for the other counts. The results are 30%, 20%, and 10%.
    820×100%=40%,620×100%=30%,420×100%=20%,220×100%=10%\frac{8}{20}\times100\%=40\%,\quad\frac{6}{20}\times100\%=30\%,\quad\frac{4}{20}\times100\%=20\%,\quad\frac{2}{20}\times100\%=10\%
  3. Check and present
    The percentages add to 100%, so they account for the whole class. A clear infographic can show a titled table of the counts beside a labelled circle graph of the percentages. Mark the data as hypothetical.
    40%+30%+20%+10%=100%40\% + 30\% + 20\% + 10\% = 100\%
Answer: The percentages are walk 40%, bus 30%, car 20%, and bicycle 10%. A table and a circle graph with these labels, plus a title and a note that the data are hypothetical, make a suitable infographic.
Check: The counts total 20 and the percentages total 100%, so both represent the same whole.

Worked example

Favourite fruit in a practice survey

A hypothetical survey of 25 students records one favourite fruit for each student. The counts are apples, 10; bananas, 5; oranges, 7; and pears, 3. Find the percentages and decide what a reader should be able to learn from the infographic.
Hypothetical favourite fruit
Hypothetical favourite fruitEach section shows the share of responses in the practice survey.Apples: 40%Bananas: 20%Oranges: 28%Pears: 12%hypothetical data

Each section shows the share of responses in the practice survey.

  1. Confirm the total
    Add the counts to confirm that every response is included. The sum is 25, the stated number of students.
    10+5+7+3=2510 + 5 + 7 + 3 = 25
  2. Convert counts to percentages
    Compare each count with 25. Ten out of 25 is 40%; five out of 25 is 20%; seven out of 25 is 28%; and three out of 25 is 12%.
    1025×100%=40%,525×100%=20%,725×100%=28%,325×100%=12%\frac{10}{25}\times100\%=40\%,\quad\frac{5}{25}\times100\%=20\%,\quad\frac{7}{25}\times100\%=28\%,\quad\frac{3}{25}\times100\%=12\%
  3. Check the graph information
    The percentages add to 100%. The infographic should show the title, the count table, and a circle graph with matching fruit labels. It can state that apples have the largest share in this hypothetical group; it should not claim that all students prefer apples.
    40%+20%+28%+12%=100%40\% + 20\% + 28\% + 12\% = 100\%
Answer: Apples are 40%, bananas 20%, oranges 28%, and pears 12%. The infographic can show that apples have the largest share in this hypothetical survey of 25 students.
Check: The statement is limited to the described group. The data do not show what all students prefer.

Worked example

Check a draft before sharing

A student makes a draft infographic from hypothetical club data for 30 students: art, 12; music, 9; sports, 6; reading, 3. The draft labels the sections 40%, 30%, 20%, and 15%. Check the data and correct the percentages.
Hypothetical club choices
Hypothetical club choicesCorrected percentages for the 30 students in the example.Art: 40%Music: 30%Sports: 20%Reading: 10%hypothetical data

Corrected percentages for the 30 students in the example.

  1. Check the counts
    The four counts add to 30, so they match the stated total.
    12+9+6+3=3012 + 9 + 6 + 3 = 30
  2. Find the correct percentages
    Use 30 as the whole for every category. The shares are 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10%, respectively.
    1230×100%=40%,930×100%=30%,630×100%=20%,330×100%=10%\frac{12}{30}\times100\%=40\%,\quad\frac{9}{30}\times100\%=30\%,\quad\frac{6}{30}\times100\%=20\%,\quad\frac{3}{30}\times100\%=10\%
  3. Repair the draft
    The draft's last percentage is too large. Its percentages add to 105%, which cannot describe one complete circle. Replace 15% with 10%, then make sure the table and graph use the same category names.
    40%+30%+20%+10%=100%40\% + 30\% + 20\% + 10\% = 100\%
Answer: The correct percentages are art 40%, music 30%, sports 20%, and reading 10%. The draft should change reading from 15% to 10%.
Check: The corrected percentages total 100%, and the counts total 30.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Using a different total for different categories.
Correction: Use the same whole—the total number of responses—for every percentage.
Forgetting to check whether the percentages add to 100%.
Correction: Add them before completing the circle graph. A complete graph must represent the whole.
Leaving out a title or category labels.
Correction: Name what the data describe and label each category so readers can understand the graph.
Writing a claim that goes beyond the data.
Correction: Describe only the group and question shown. Label invented practice numbers as hypothetical.

Lesson summary

  • A table organizes categories and their counts.
  • A circle graph shows each category's share of one whole.
  • Find a percentage by dividing the category count by the total and multiplying by 100%.
  • Check that counts match the stated total and percentages add to 100%.
  • A clear infographic uses a title, labelled table and graph, and an honest note about its data.

Check your understanding

Question 1

A hypothetical group has 20 responses. Six responses are for one category. What percentage is that?
  1. 20%
  2. 30%
  3. 60%
  4. 70%
Show answer and explanation
30%
Six divided by 20 is 0.3. Multiplying by 100 gives 30%.

Question 2

A circle graph has categories labelled 35%, 25%, 20%, and 20%. What should you conclude?
  1. The percentages total 100%, so they account for the whole.
  2. The graph must be missing 20%.
  3. The categories cannot be shown in a circle graph.
  4. The total must be 35.
Show answer and explanation
The percentages total 100%, so they account for the whole.
The percentages add to 100%, so they represent all of the data.

Question 3

Which detail helps a reader know what the circle graph represents?
  1. A clear title naming the data
  2. An unrelated picture
  3. A second total with no label
  4. A category name that changes between the table and graph
Show answer and explanation
A clear title naming the data
A clear title tells readers what the whole circle and its categories describe.

Key terms

Data
Information collected or organized to answer a question.
Category
A group or type used to sort the data.
Frequency
The number of times a category appears in the data.
Percentage
A way to describe a part of a whole out of 100 equal parts.
Circle graph
A graph that uses sections of a circle to show parts of one whole.
Infographic
A visual presentation that combines information, words, and images or graphs.

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Published by DoAssignment. This reviewed lesson follows Ontario Grade 7 Mathematics, expectation D1.4. It is a study resource, not an official curriculum publication.

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