Pictographs From Things We Count
A pictograph uses small pictures or symbols to show how many of something there are, turning counted data into an easy-to-read chart.
Reading is good — doing is better. Practice Pictographs From Things We Count as an interactive lesson.
Try the lessonDefinition
A pictograph is a chart that uses a picture or symbol to stand for a number of real things. First you count something in the real world, like how many students like apples versus bananas. Then you draw the right number of pictures in rows or columns so anyone can look at the chart and quickly understand the information without counting a long list.
Remember the rule
Count first, then draw! Number of pictures = Total counted ÷ What each picture is worth.
Key words
- Pictograph
- A chart that uses pictures or symbols to show counted information.
- Data
- Information we collect by counting or measuring real things.
- Key
- A small box on the pictograph that tells you what one picture stands for, like one star equals 2 students.
- Symbol
- A small picture used in a pictograph, like a star, apple, or smiley face.
- Row
- A line of pictures that goes left to right across the chart.
- Category
- A group of things being compared, like favorite colors or types of pets.
- Tally
- Marks you make while counting, one mark per item, before drawing your pictograph.
- Scale
- How much each symbol is worth, for example each picture equals 2 things.
Worked examples
Ms. Lee asked 6 students what pet they have. 3 have dogs, 2 have cats, 1 has a fish. Each paw print = 1 pet. How many paw prints go in each row?
→ Dogs row: 3 paw prints. Cats row: 2 paw prints. Fish row: 1 paw print. · When each symbol equals 1, the number of pictures matches the count exactly.
8 students chose chocolate ice cream and 4 chose vanilla. Each ice cream cone picture = 2 students. How many cone pictures go in each row?
→ Chocolate row: 4 cone pictures (8 ÷ 2 = 4). Vanilla row: 2 cone pictures (4 ÷ 2 = 2). · Always divide the count by the key number to find how many symbols to draw.
A class counted books read in one week: Monday 4 books, Tuesday 6 books, Wednesday 2 books. Each book symbol = 2 books. Draw the pictograph rows.
→ Monday: 2 book symbols. Tuesday: 3 book symbols. Wednesday: 1 book symbol. · Dividing each day's count by 2 gives the number of symbols for that row.
Look at this pictograph. Apples row has 5 apple pictures. The key says 1 apple picture = 2 real apples. How many real apples were counted?
→ 5 × 2 = 10 real apples. · To read a pictograph, multiply the number of symbols by the key number.
Students voted for favorite color: Red got 6 votes, Blue got 4 votes, Green got 2 votes. Each star = 2 votes. Which color row is longest?
→ Red row: 3 stars, Blue row: 2 stars, Green row: 1 star. Red is the longest row. · The longest row always shows the most popular choice.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to include a key, so readers do not know what each picture stands for.
- Drawing too many or too few symbols because they forgot to divide by the key number.
- Making all symbols different sizes, which makes the pictograph hard to read and compare.
- Skipping the counting or tallying step and guessing the numbers instead of using real data.
- Forgetting to label each row with its category name so nobody knows what the pictures represent.
FAQs
Why do we use pictures instead of just writing the numbers?
Pictures make it faster and easier to compare groups at a glance. You can see right away which row is longest without doing any math.
Does each picture always have to equal 1?
No! The key can say each picture equals 2, 5, 10, or any number. We choose a bigger number when we have lots of data so the chart does not get too long.
What if my count cannot be divided evenly by the key number?
You can draw a half symbol to stand for half the key value. For example, if the key is 1 star equals 2 and you have 3 things, you draw 1 full star and 1 half star.
How is a pictograph different from a bar graph?
A pictograph uses small pictures as its units, while a bar graph uses a shaded or colored bar. Both show the same kind of information, just in different ways.
What is the first step to making a pictograph?
Collect and count your data first, writing tallies or a number list. You cannot draw the chart until you know the exact counts for every category.
Can I use any picture I want for my symbol?
Yes, as long as the picture matches what you are counting and you show it clearly in the key. A sun for sunny days or a raindrop for rainy days makes the chart easy to understand.
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