Bar Graph & Pictograph Maker
Type your data once and see it four ways — bar graph, pictograph with a key, pie chart with the degrees worked out, and line graph. Choose your own scale, then download or print it for your notebook.
Type your data once and get a bar graph, pictograph, pie chart or line graph. For a pie chart, each slice angle = (value ÷ total) × 360°, so 12 students out of 36 take up (12 ÷ 36) × 360° = 120°. On a bar graph, bar height = value ÷ scale.
Titles
Every graph needs a title and labelled axes — marks are given for them.
Your data
Label and value for each bar. Up to 20 rows.
| Label | Value | Colour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 0 | ||
Sample data
Scale
Choose how much one square on the axis stands for.
Pictograph key
Pick a picture and say how much one picture stands for.
Look
How this graph is drawn
Read your graph
The questions a teacher usually asks about this data.
From a table to a finished graph
Data handling questions always follow the same shape: read the table, choose a scale, draw, then answer questions about it. This tool does all four so you can check your own work.
Type the data
One row per label, or paste a whole table copied from a book or sheet.
Pick a chart
Bar graph, pictograph, pie chart or line graph — the same data, four ways.
Choose the scale
Decide what one square stands for. The tool warns if the bars will be too tall or too flat.
Download or print
Save a PNG, print the finished graph, or print blank graph paper and draw it by hand.
Choosing a scale
The scale tells you what one square on the axis is worth. Pick it so the tallest bar uses most of the paper — about 10 to 20 squares.
Height of bar = value ÷ scale
Example: with 1 square = 5 students, a bar for 35 students is 35 ÷ 5 = 7 squares tall. Always write the scale next to the graph.
Pictograph and its key
A pictograph uses one picture to stand for several items. The key states how many, for example "1 🍎 = 5 apples".
Pictures needed = value ÷ key
If it does not divide exactly you draw part of a picture: 23 ÷ 5 = 4 whole pictures and ⅗ of one. Half a picture means half the key.
Pie chart — degrees
A full circle is 360°, so each part gets a slice in the same ratio as its share:
Angle = (value ÷ total) × 360°
Example: 12 out of 36 students → (12 ÷ 36) × 360° = 120°. The angles of all the slices must add up to exactly 360°, and the percentages to 100%.
Bar graph or line graph?
Use a bar graph to compare separate groups (favourite fruit, marks in subjects) — the bars have gaps between them.
Use a line graph when the data changes over time (temperature each day, rainfall each month), because the line shows the trend between readings.
Use a pie chart to show parts of one whole, and a pictograph for small, friendly whole-number data.
Bar Graph & Pictograph Maker — your questions
How do I choose a scale for a bar graph?
Pick a scale so the tallest bar fills most of the paper, usually about 10 to 20 squares. Use bar height = value ÷ scale. With 1 square = 5 students, a bar for 35 students is 35 ÷ 5 = 7 squares tall. Always write the scale beside the graph or you lose marks.
How do you work out the angles for a pie chart?
Each slice gets a share of the full 360° in the same ratio as its value: Angle = (value ÷ total) × 360°. If 12 of 36 students chose cricket, that slice is (12 ÷ 36) × 360° = 120°. Check your work by adding all the angles — they must come to exactly 360°.
What is a pictograph and why does it need a key?
A pictograph shows data using repeated pictures, and the key states how many items one picture stands for, such as 1 apple = 5 apples. Pictures needed = value ÷ key. If the division is not exact you draw part of a picture, so 23 ÷ 5 gives 4 whole pictures and three-fifths of another.
When should I use a bar graph instead of a line graph?
Use a bar graph to compare separate categories such as favourite fruit or marks in different subjects, and leave equal gaps between the bars. Use a line graph when the data changes over time, like daily temperature or monthly rainfall, because the line shows the trend between readings.
What must a graph include to get full marks?
A title, names on both axes, the scale written clearly, equal bar widths with equal gaps between them, and a value axis that starts at zero. A pie chart also needs a label or legend for every slice. A graph with perfectly drawn bars still loses marks without these, so add them all before you hand the sheet in.
Can I print the graph or blank graph paper?
Yes. You can print the finished chart or download it as a PNG for your notes, and there is also a button to print blank squared graph paper so you can draw the same graph by hand for homework. Both print neatly on a single A4 sheet.