What is a bar graph?

A bar graph (or bar chart) shows data using rectangular bars, where the length or height of each bar stands for an amount. Longer bars mean bigger amounts, so it is easy to compare groups at a glance. It needs a title, labelled axes and a scale.

Examples

• A bar for each fruit shows how many children chose it.
• The tallest bar shows the most popular option.
• Reading the scale tells you the exact value each bar represents.

Quick facts

• Bars can be drawn upright (vertical) or lying down (horizontal).
• A pictograph shows the same kind of data using pictures instead of bars.