Reading a bar graph and its scale

In Primary 2, you read picture graphs, where one picture could stand for two things. Today, we learn to read a bar graph using its scale. The bar graph shows the number of seed packets packed by four gardening groups. How many packets did Group C pack? Find the bar for Group C. Its top stops between two numbers on the scale. The numbers on the side are the scale. But not every line has a number. So first, we find what one space stands for. Count the spaces from zero to eight: one, two. There are two spaces. Two equal spaces share the eight packets, so we divide. Eight divided by two is four. So each space stands for four packets. Let's check by counting up in fours from zero. Four, eight. We land right on the eight, so four is right. Slide across from the top of Group C's bar to the scale. It stops between twenty-four and thirty-two. We count up from the numbered line below it: twenty-four. Count the spaces from twenty-four to the top of the bar: one. One space is four packets, so we add four to twenty-four. Twenty-four plus four is twenty-eight packets. So Group C packed twenty-eight packets. First find what one space stands for. Then count on from the numbered line below. The bar graph shows the number of tomatoes picked from four garden beds. How many tomatoes were picked from Bed B? Try it first. Pause if you like. First, we find what one space stands for. Count the spaces from zero to twenty: one, two, three, four. There are four spaces. Four equal spaces share the twenty tomatoes, so we divide. Twenty divided by four is five. So each space stands for five tomatoes. Find the bar for Bed B. Slide across from its top to the scale. It stops between twenty and forty. It is closer to forty, but we count up from the numbered line below: twenty. Count the spaces from twenty to the top of the bar: one, two, three. Each space is five tomatoes, so we add three fives to twenty. Twenty plus five plus five plus five is thirty-five tomatoes. So thirty-five tomatoes were picked from Bed B.

The horizontal bar graph shows the number of seedlings planted by four groups. How many seedlings did the Bees plant? Try it first. Pause if you like. This graph lies on its side, so the scale runs along the bottom. First, we find what one space stands for. Count the spaces from zero to twenty: one, two, three, four, five. There are five spaces. Five equal spaces share the twenty seedlings, so we divide. Twenty divided by five is four. So each space stands for four seedlings. Find the bar for the Bees. Slide down from the end of the bar to the scale. It stops between twenty and forty. We count on from the numbered line before it: twenty. Count the spaces from twenty to the end of the bar: one, two, three. Each space is four seedlings, so we add three fours to twenty. Twenty plus four plus four plus four is thirty-two seedlings. So the Bees planted thirty-two seedlings. Each equal space on the axis represents the same amount.