Chapter 11: Data Handling

How many friends like mangoes? How many like bananas? When we collect such answers and arrange them neatly, we are doing data handling.

What we'll do

• Collect information from family and friends.
• Use tally marks to keep count.
• Make a simple pictograph with pictures.
• Read a chart to answer questions.

The big idea

When we ask a question to many people and write down their answers, we collect data. Data is just neatly arranged information.

To count quickly, we use tally marks. Each tally is a small straight line: |. After four lines, the fifth one goes across, like this: ||||. That bundle is 5. This way, you can count groups of 5 very fast.

When the counting is done, we can show the data as a pictograph. In a pictograph, we draw a picture for each item , say, one mango drawing for every child who likes mangoes. A row of 6 mango pictures means 6 children chose mangoes.

By looking at a pictograph, we can see at one glance which thing got the most votes and which got the least. We can also add up to find the total.

Data handling helps in real life. Shopkeepers count which item sells the most. Teachers count how many students are present. Even your mother counts how many rotis everyone wants for dinner!

Let's play!

Favourite fruit survey. Ask 10 people in your home or class their favourite fruit. Write tally marks for each fruit. Which fruit got the most?

Tally race. Roll a dice 20 times. For every number that comes up, make a tally mark next to it. Which number came most often?

Pictograph of pets. Find out how many of your friends have dogs, cats, parrots and fish. Draw a small picture for each pet. Make a neat pictograph.

A small story

Aatif wanted to know which colour the children in his class liked. He asked 15 friends. Red got |||| | (6), blue got |||| (5), green got |||| (4). He drew tiny circles in colours on a chart. Red had the longest row , red was the winner!

Quick check

1. How many lines are in one tally bundle?
2. If a row in a pictograph has 7 apple pictures, how many people chose apples?
3. What is data?
4. In a pictograph, what helps us see "most" and "least" quickly?
5. Make tally marks for the number 12.

What did we learn?

• Data is information we collect by asking and counting.
• Tally marks help us count quickly in groups of 5.
• A pictograph shows data using simple pictures, so we can compare at a glance.