Circle Graph

What is Circle Graph?

This activity allows the user to graph data on a circle graph ( pie graph). Students can use predefined data sets or enter their own data.

A pie chart is a graphical way to organize data. All pie charts compare parts of a whole. For example, a pie chart for the time you spend at school could compare the amount of time you spend in each class and at lunch.

A pie chart uses percentages or fractions to compare the data. The whole is equal to 100%, which is the same as 1. So if you spend 7 hours at school and 55 minutes of that time is spent eating lunch then 13% of your school day is spent eating lunch. This can be figured by converting 7 hours to 420 minutes (you always must compare using the same unit of measure or your numbers are meaningless). Then solve the proportion 55 minutes / 420 minutes = ? % / 100% which works out to be about 13%.

The next step in creating the pie chart is determining what the angle measure should be to represent 13%. Since there are 360 degrees in a circle, multiply 13%(0.13) by 360 to get 46.8 degrees. See if you can make a pie chart that represents what you do in a day.

References for data sets:

  • 2006 U.S. Government Spending is from the United States Federal Budget, 2007.

How Do I Use This Activity?

This activity allows the user to graph data sets in a circle graph ( pie graph). Users may input their own data or alter pre-made data sets.

Controls and Output

The user may choose from a set of pre-made data sets about daily activity, coin tosses, government spending, and more. The choice menu shown below has the pre-made data sets.

The user may change the amount, or name of a value being graphed. The data must be in the following format:

Value, Name

for example:

7, hours of sleep

The data may be edited in the data box, and the title of the data set may be changed in the the label "Describe your Data." Both are shown below.

The data may be updated after being changed, or cleared from the data box by pressing the "Update Chart" and "Clear" button, both shown below.

The data is displayed in two ways. First, in the circle graph, with the title of the data below the circle. Second, the data is displayed in text, underneath the graph, in a separate box. Each value, for instance (Number of hours spent sleeping in a day), has its own row. In that row is shown its representative color in the circle, the value, and percent of the entire data set. Beneath all the rows is the sum of all values.

Description

This activity allows the user to graph data on a circle graph ( pie graph). Students can use predefined data sets or enter their own data. This activity would work well in small groups of 3-4 for about 25-30 minutes if you use the exploration questions and 15-20 minutes otherwise.

Place in Mathematics Curriculum

This activity can be used to:

  • Illustrate percent and how percents should add to 100 to represent a whole
  • Develop estimation skills
  • Demonstrate the idea of a circle graph
  • Give students practice in reading and drawing circle graphs
  • Develop recognitions and understanding of data representations

Standards Addressed

Grade 3

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, or justifying conclusions).

Grade 4

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating; drawing or justifying conclusions).

Grade 5

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating; drawing or justifying conclusions).

Grade 6

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating; drawing or justifying conclusions).

Grade 7

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, making predictions; drawing or justifying conclusions).

Grade 8

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, making predictions, describing trends; drawing, formulating, or justifying conclusions).

Grade 9

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, making predictions, describing trends; drawing, formulating, or justifying conclusions).

Grade 10

  • Statistics and Probability

    • The student demonstrates an ability to classify and organize data.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to analyze data (comparing, explaining, interpreting, evaluating, making predictions, describing trends; drawing, formulating, or justifying conclusions).

Grade 4

  • Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability

    • 1.0 Students organize, represent, and interpret numerical and categorical data and clearly communicate their findings

Grade 5

  • Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability

    • 1.0 Students display, analyze, compare, and interpret different data sets, including data sets of different sizes

Third Grade

  • Measurement and Data

    • Represent and interpret data.

Fourth Grade

  • Measurement and Data

    • Represent and interpret data.

Fifth Grade

  • Measurement and Data

    • Represent and interpret data.

Statistics and Probability

  • Interpreting Categorical and Quantitative Data

    • Summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable

Grades 3-5

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data

Grades 6-8

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them
    • Select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data
  • Numbers and Operations

    • Understand meanings of operations and how they relate to one another

Grades 9-12

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them

Grade 5

  • Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will understand and use graphs and data analysis.

Grade 7

  • Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will understand and use graphs and data analysis.

Grade 8

  • Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will understand and use graphs and data analysis.

Introductory Mathematics

  • Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will understand and use graphs and data analysis.
  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 3: The learner will understand and use graphs and data analysis.

Advanced Functions and Modeling

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Competency Goal 1: The learner will analyze data and apply probability concepts to solve problems.

Integrated Mathematics

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Competency Goal 3: The learner will analyze data and apply probability concepts to solve problems.

AP Statistics

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Competency Goal 3: The learner will collect and analyze data to solve problems.
  • Number and Operations

    • Competency Goal 1: The learner will analyze univariate data to solve problems.

3rd Grade

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • The student will demonstrate through the mathematical processes an understanding of organizing, interpreting, analyzing and making predictions about data, the benefits of multiple representations of a data set, and the basic concepts of probability.

4th Grade

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • Standard 4-6: The student will demonstrate through the mathematical processes an understanding of the impact of data-collection methods, the appropriate graph for categorical or numerical data, and the analysis of possible outcomes for a simple event.

7th Grade

  • Data Analysis and Probability

    • The student will demonstrate through the mathematical processes an understanding of the relationships between two populations or samples.

5th Grade

  • Data Analysis & Probability

    • The student will understand and apply basic statistical and probability concepts in order to organize and analyze data and to make predictions and conjectures.

6th Grade

  • Data Analysis & Probability

    • Content Standard 5.0 The student will understand and apply basic statistical and probability concepts in order to organize and analyze data and to make predictions and conjectures.

7th Grade

  • Data Analysis & Probability

    • The student will understand and apply basic statistical and probability concepts in order to organize and analyze data and to make predictions and conjectures.

8th Grade

  • Data Analysis & Probability

    • The student will understand and apply basic statistical and probability concepts in order to organize and analyze data and to make predictions and conjectures.

4th Grade

  • Data Analysis & Probability

    • The student will understand and apply basic statistical and probability concepts in order to organize and analyze data and to make predictions and conjectures.

Grade 4

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 13. The student solves problems by collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.

Grade 5

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 13. The student solves problems by collecting, organizing, displaying, and interpreting sets of data.

Grade 6

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 10. The student uses statistical representations to analyze data.

Grade 7

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 11. The student understands that the way a set of data is displayed influences its interpretation.

Grade 8

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 12. The student uses statistical procedures to describe data.

7th Grade

  • Computation and Estimation

    • 7.6 The student will use proportions to solve practical problems, which may include scale drawings, that contain rational numbers (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals) and percents.

8th Grade

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 8.12 The student will make comparisons, predictions, and inferences, using information displayed in frequency distributions; box-and-whisker plots; scattergrams; line, bar, circle, and picture graphs; and histograms.
    • 8.12 The student will make comparisons, predictions, and inferences, using information

6th Grade

  • Probability and Statistics

    • 6.18a The student, given a problem situation, will collect, analyze, display, and interpret data in a variety of graphical methods, including line, bar, and circle graphs

Be Prepared to

  • Encourage students to enter in their own data, be ready to give them examples of data to enter
  • Explain the relationship between circle graphs and percentages
  • Discuss how graphs can be misleading