Pictograph Examples

Pictograph and Interpretation of a Pictograph

A pictograph also known as a pictogram depicts the frequency of data in the form of pictures or symbols. Each image or symbol may illustrate one or more units of the data. For example:

The given table represents the number of refrigerators sold by a seller for the months of October to December. Draw a pictograph for the table.

Now let's take a look at the pictorial representation of the above data 

Pictograph Definition and Application

"A pictograph as already mentioned is an illustration of a given data in form of images or symbols," which is utilized for the following purposes:

• For data handling  and huge data management 

• Useful in setting the foundation for data interpretation on the basis of pictorial information.

Pictograph Examples with Questions and Answers

A survey is carried out for 40 children by a bakery point for the purpose of assessing the demand for different flavours of cakes offered in their outlet.

The outcomes are as follows: 

Key:  [Image will be Uploaded Soon] Represents four customers

Identify the most loved cake flavour by considering the above table?

Solution:

If a complete cake [Image will be Uploaded Soon] represents 4 customers, then what would  a Quarter cake [Image will be Uploaded Soon] represent? 

Now, the situation that we encountered above presents information in a pictorial manner.

Here, the symbol [Image will be Uploaded Soon] is used to depict data (i.e. the number of customers).

What we need to do is just apply simple mathematics in order to understand how many customers voted for each of the cake flavours.

For that, we will multiply the number of symbols for the given cake flavour with the value of each symbol.

For example, the number of consumer who liked Ice cream cake are:

=2 1/4×4

=2×4+1/4×4

=8+1=9.

Thus, the number of consumers who like Ice cream cake are 9 out of 40.

Now, the number of children who liked Chocolate Truffle cake are:

=3 3/4×4

= 15

Thus, the number of consumers who like Chocolate Truffle are 15 out of 40.

Similarly, Butterscotch is liked by 11 while Oreo is liked by 5 consumers. 

Hence, Chocolate Truffle cake is most loved

How to Construct a Pictograph?

Taking an example, let’s begin learning how to draw a pictograph easily. Suppose, we need to represent how many Air Conditioners have been sold in the past 5 years via a pictograph. So let’s begin step-by-step:

1. Gather Data: 

First step includes gathering the data of the category we seek to represent. We must however gather our data using appropriate means.

2. Listing Out the Data: 

Next is to make a list, chart or table of the data. And one time carefully assess the data.

3. Pick Icon/Symbol: 

Choose an image or symbol that accurately represents your data. If you are constructing a pictograph to illustrate Air Conditioners sold then a symbol of a plastic box or a floor tile would be highly confusing! So pick your symbol accordingly and completely relatable to the category.

4. Allot a Key: 

Occasionally, the frequency of the data is quite high. This makes it complicated and practically impossible to represent one frequency. In such cases, we need to set a numerical value that one symbol will denote. This numerical value should be expressed along with the pictograph. For example: one symbol of an Air Conditioner represents 1000 AC sets. Or, one symbol of pineapple represents 20kgs of pineapple. This is what we call the key of the pictograph.

5. Construct a Pictograph: 

Final step is constructing the pictograph. Make two columns that depict the data and the category. Then create the actual icons that depict the frequencies. Note that the icons can also be drawn as fractions (if the frequency is not a whole number).

6. Assess Your Data: 

Finally, evaluate your pictograph and make sure it accurately displays the details that you wanted to relay. Remember to check the labeling of your graph.

Your pictograph should finally look something similar to the following picture.

Key: Each [Image will be Uploaded Soon] represents 200 sets of Air Conditioners.