Construct and read pictograms with part symbols
Use an explicit icon key, preserve exact half symbols and redraw the same counts under a different key.
Exam scope and assessment notes
The first six lessons are shared Foundation work inherited by Higher; the last four are additional Higher histograms and cumulative-frequency work. Construct actual labelled diagrams with their scales, units and keys. Unequal continuous intervals need frequency density and area; partial-class and straight-guide readings are estimates, and a flat inverse can be an interval. Numerical agreement does not award marks or establish mastery; written explanations need human review. Statistical measures and probability remain separate. Linear November 2026/June 2027 entries and regional-centre eligibility differ from modular awards. Publisher map/contents are navigation only: F6.1Aii is a modular subpart, not the whole linear F6.1A row. Book1 Handling Data3 map398–428 differs from proof397/summary426/next428; Book2 Handling Data6 map208–222 differs from proof207/summary221/next222. Relevant chapter and Hub bodies remain unavailable; specialist and formal-assessment approval remain pending.
Before you begin
- Multiply and divide whole numbers and simple fractions.
- Interpret a half of a stated whole.
- Add category frequencies and compare a largest and smallest count.
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
A whole icon represents 12 individuals. What does a half icon represent?
What you will learn
- Convert between a whole-symbol key, symbol amounts and whole-person frequencies.
- Draw equal-size icons with an accurately shown half symbol and a labelled key.
- Retain zero categories and explain what changes, and what stays fixed, when the key changes.
The frequencies are A: 18; B: 30; C: 6 individuals. Draw a pictogram using one whole icon for 6 individuals. Label all categories and the key, keep whole icons equal in size, and show any half icon accurately. Give every count, their total, the largest-minus-smallest frequency and the number of individuals represented by half an original symbol.
Choose your representation, enter its actual categories, counts, geometry and labels, and explicitly record it. No table margin, scale, missing sector, density, cumulative point or reading trace is filled for you.
Original supplied data
Only literal data are supplied. A missing entry is displayed as not supplied; requested totals, frequencies, angles, density calibration, cumulative constructions and read-off traces are not generated on this board.
All metric panels in this board share one camera and equal Cartesian drawing units. Equal full widths, heights and pie radii therefore stay visibly comparable; no individual panel is independently fitted. Histogram numerical frequency density is its entered vertical calibration. Tables and tally strokes are symbolic displays.
Blank construction plane
unready actual work. No target values or construction points are supplied.
Blue is supplied geometry, amber is my actual work, purple is dirty retained work and green is a separately gated reference. Rendering never repairs a wrong count, overlap, radius, calibration, cumulative decrease or read-off elbow. Tool coordinates are bounded to±1000000; finite unsupported portions are not silently clamped. Up to1000 explicit pictogram pieces and100 tally bundles per displayed row are rendered. Screen size is not physical instrument calibration. Readiness and fixed numerical comparison do not mark reasoning, award marks, prove mastery or provide teacher/specialist/formal-assessment approval.
Observed and whole-class counts stay distinct from within-class histogram or cumulative-guide estimates. A zero-frequency plateau can give an interval of inverse readings. No median, quartile, midpoint-mean or probability teaching credit is supplied by this display.
My labelled original-key pictogram
No actual representation is recorded for this action.
The board places only the coordinates you explicitly choose into the selected slot. It generates no other corner, bar, sector or reading elbow. Interval-area bounds are two measurements, not a planar point.
My quantities, conclusions and explanation
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Enter an exact fraction or finite decimal, with the precision and quantity unit explicitly requested in the question.
Explain the actual construction and its conditions. Text presence does not establish a correct argument.
These original fixed cases support self-checking. They do not mark proofs or written explanations, award marks or mastery, certify instrument accuracy, or provide specialist or formal assessment approval. Within-class histogram and cumulative-guide readings are estimates, while supplied whole-class counts remain exact. A plateau may give an interval rather than one inverse reading.
Fix the key and the shape of one symbol
A pictogram uses repeated icons to represent counts. The key must state how many individuals one complete icon represents. Every whole icon in the chart must have the same physical size and meaning. Enlarging an icon for a larger category changes its area and makes the display harder to interpret; repeat the standard icon instead.
If one whole icon represents k individuals, an amount s of icons represents ks individuals. Reversing that calculation gives frequency divided by k icons. Show a half icon by a genuine half of the chosen symbol, with the same scale as the complete ones. A half symbol represents half the key value, not automatically half a person.
Read, check and redraw
Read the complete icons and the part icon together before multiplying by the key. Write the resulting count beside the category while checking your work, then add the category counts to find the total. A zero category remains labelled even though its symbol row is empty; an empty row with a zero label is different from an omitted category.
A different key changes the number of icons needed, not the underlying data. First recover the frequencies using the original key, then divide those same frequencies by the new key. Keep the new key clearly attached to the redrawn chart. Do not mix symbol amounts from two different keys in the same calculation.
Keep whole-person counts honest
The largest and smallest categories must be compared using frequencies, especially if two displays use different keys. Subtract the smallest count from the largest and give the unit as individuals. A part icon is legitimate only when its fraction of the key represents the count required; its appearance is not permission to round a frequency.
Where the observations are whole individuals, a proposed icon row implying a fractional person is inconsistent with exact raw counts. Check the key or the row instead of silently rounding. In a construction task, a list of icon amounts is a useful calculation but does not replace the labelled pictogram with the correct whole and half shapes.
Sources for this lesson
- Pearson Mathematics A linear specification · Issue 2 · Foundation printed 24 / physical 30; Higher printed 39 / physical 45; inheritance printed 27 / physical 33
- Pearson 2026/2027 entry manual · centre regions physical 3; Mathematics A physical 25
- Pearson second-edition modular book/Hub map · literal navigation only · physical 7, 9, 11
Pause and explain
A category has 28 individuals and a whole icon represents 8. What should be drawn?
Worked example
The frequencies are A: 18; B: 30; C: 6 individuals. Draw a pictogram using one whole icon for 6 individuals. Label all categories and the key, keep whole icons equal in size, and show any half icon accurately. Give every count, their total, the largest-minus-smallest frequency and the number of individuals represented by half an original symbol.
Show the worked solution
- Use the original key 6: 18÷6=3 for A; 30÷6=5 for B; 6÷6=1 for C. Multiplying reads a key; dividing finds how many standard icons are needed.
- The original icon amounts are A: 3; B: 5; C: 1. A half icon means 6÷2=3 individuals; draw it as half of the standard whole icon, not as a smaller full icon.
- Construct the labelled rows with those whole and half icon amounts. Keep any zero-frequency category labelled with an empty symbol row.
- Add the counts to get 18, 30, 6 → total 54. The largest-minus-smallest count is 30−6=24 individuals. Check these frequencies against the drawn rows under their stated keys.
Answer Counts: A: 18; B: 30; C: 6; total 54, largest-minus-smallest 24. Original icon amounts: A: 3; B: 5; C: 1. Half of an original symbol represents 3 individuals. Draw those labelled rows and the whole-symbol key; retain any specified zero category without inventing an icon.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
The supplied pictogram uses one whole icon for 4 individuals and shows these icon amounts: North: 9/2; Central: 3; South: 3/2. Read the counts, then redraw the same data with one whole icon for 6 individuals. Label all categories and the key, keep whole icons equal in size, and show any half icon accurately. Give every count, their total, the largest-minus-smallest frequency and the number of individuals represented by half an original symbol.
Give me a hint
Use icons×key to read and frequency÷key to draw; calculate frequencies before changing the key.
Compare my reasoning
- Use the original key 4: 9/2×4=18 for North; 3×4=12 for Central; 3/2×4=6 for South. Multiplying reads a key; dividing finds how many standard icons are needed.
- The original icon amounts are North: 9/2; Central: 3; South: 3/2. A half icon means 4÷2=2 individuals; draw it as half of the standard whole icon, not as a smaller full icon.
- For the redraw, divide the recovered counts by 6; the new icon amounts are North: 3; Central: 2; South: 1. Label the new key separately; the frequencies remain 18, 12, 6.
- Add the counts to get 18, 12, 6 → total 36. The largest-minus-smallest count is 18−6=12 individuals. Check these frequencies against the drawn rows under their stated keys.
Counts: North: 18; Central: 12; South: 6; total 36, largest-minus-smallest 12. Original icon amounts: North: 9/2; Central: 3; South: 3/2. Half of an original symbol represents 2 individuals. Under the new key 6, use icon amounts North: 3; Central: 2; South: 1, retaining the same data.
Look for these in your work
- Show a labelled pictogram with a clear key and consistent whole/half icon shapes.
- Recover or preserve every whole-person count, including a zero category.
- Check the total and frequency difference and explain the meaning of a half icon.
The frequencies are Red: 20; Blue: 36; Green: 12; Gold: 0 individuals. Draw a pictogram using one whole icon for 8 individuals. Label all categories and the key, keep whole icons equal in size, and show any half icon accurately. Give every count, their total, the largest-minus-smallest frequency and the number of individuals represented by half an original symbol.
Give me a hint
Use icons×key to read and frequency÷key to draw; calculate frequencies before changing the key.
Compare my reasoning
- Use the original key 8: 20÷8=5/2 for Red; 36÷8=9/2 for Blue; 12÷8=3/2 for Green; 0÷8=0 for Gold. Multiplying reads a key; dividing finds how many standard icons are needed.
- The original icon amounts are Red: 5/2; Blue: 9/2; Green: 3/2; Gold: 0. A half icon means 8÷2=4 individuals; draw it as half of the standard whole icon, not as a smaller full icon.
- Construct the labelled rows with those whole and half icon amounts. Keep any zero-frequency category labelled with an empty symbol row.
- Add the counts to get 20, 36, 12, 0 → total 68. The largest-minus-smallest count is 36−0=36 individuals. Check these frequencies against the drawn rows under their stated keys.
Counts: Red: 20; Blue: 36; Green: 12; Gold: 0; total 68, largest-minus-smallest 36. Original icon amounts: Red: 5/2; Blue: 9/2; Green: 3/2; Gold: 0. Half of an original symbol represents 4 individuals. Draw those labelled rows and the whole-symbol key; retain any specified zero category without inventing an icon.
Look for these in your work
- Show a labelled pictogram with a clear key and consistent whole/half icon shapes.
- Recover or preserve every whole-person count, including a zero category.
- Check the total and frequency difference and explain the meaning of a half icon.
The supplied pictogram uses one whole icon for 10 individuals and shows these icon amounts: Mon: 5/2; Tue: 3/2; Wed: 4. Read the counts, then redraw the same data with one whole icon for 5 individuals. Label all categories and the key, keep whole icons equal in size, and show any half icon accurately. Give every count, their total, the largest-minus-smallest frequency and the number of individuals represented by half an original symbol.
Give me a hint
Use icons×key to read and frequency÷key to draw; calculate frequencies before changing the key.
Compare my reasoning
- Use the original key 10: 5/2×10=25 for Mon; 3/2×10=15 for Tue; 4×10=40 for Wed. Multiplying reads a key; dividing finds how many standard icons are needed.
- The original icon amounts are Mon: 5/2; Tue: 3/2; Wed: 4. A half icon means 10÷2=5 individuals; draw it as half of the standard whole icon, not as a smaller full icon.
- For the redraw, divide the recovered counts by 5; the new icon amounts are Mon: 5; Tue: 3; Wed: 8. Label the new key separately; the frequencies remain 25, 15, 40.
- Add the counts to get 25, 15, 40 → total 80. The largest-minus-smallest count is 40−15=25 individuals. Check these frequencies against the drawn rows under their stated keys.
Counts: Mon: 25; Tue: 15; Wed: 40; total 80, largest-minus-smallest 25. Original icon amounts: Mon: 5/2; Tue: 3/2; Wed: 4. Half of an original symbol represents 5 individuals. Under the new key 5, use icon amounts Mon: 5; Tue: 3; Wed: 8, retaining the same data.
Look for these in your work
- Show a labelled pictogram with a clear key and consistent whole/half icon shapes.
- Recover or preserve every whole-person count, including a zero category.
- Check the total and frequency difference and explain the meaning of a half icon.
Common mistakes
- Reading a half icon as one half of an individual regardless of the key.
- Changing the data when changing the pictogram key.
- Varying whole-icon size or omitting a labelled zero category.
What can you explain now?
Two pictograms show the same category with different keys. Can their icon counts alone decide whether the underlying frequencies are equal?
Compare with the explanation
No. Multiply each icon amount by its own key before comparing frequencies.
Changing the key changes the number of symbols needed to represent an unchanged number of individuals.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
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Make it stick
State the forward and reverse key calculations, explain a half icon and describe how to redraw the same frequencies using a new key.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.