What is Data Interpretation with Tally Chart (Definition & Examples) - BYJUS

Explain data and interpret data by tally chart

We hear the term ‘data’ quite frequently. Here we will learn the definition of data and how it is collected, organized or sorted. Data can be represented using various methods like graphs and tables. Here we will learn how we can use tally charts to represent data in an easily comprehensible way....Read MoreRead Less

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Explain data and interpret data by tally chart

We can see the data scores of a sport on television. They’re organized and represented in the tables. We can also understand the scores by looking at the tables that are broadcasted in sports programs. These tables are made by sorting the data that is obtained in every game.

What is data?

A collection of information that is gathered through observation, questioning, or measurement is referred to as data. To analyze a particular situation, data is often organized with the use of graphs, charts, tables, and will include facts, numbers, or measurements.

So as we have seen till now, a collection of information is referred to as data. As a did you know fact, a single piece of data is referred to as a datum.

Data is often collected about a large and diverse collection of things. Hence, it gets difficult to keep a track of things or study a particular subject of interest. So, sorting the collected data can be a solution to the problem of data being hard to understand.

Need for sorting data

Data sorting is an important part of data analysis. For instance, an English dictionary is arranged in an alphabetical order for the ease of understanding and the convenience of readers. Sorting data allows you to visualize and understand data, organize and find the information you need, and make informed decisions. Data can be efficiently sorted with the help of tables containing rows and columns. In one or more columns, you can sort data by text (in an alphabetical order), numbers (in ascending or descending order), and dates and times (oldest to newest and vice versa). You can also sort by size such as large, medium, and small or by color when needed.

 

Unsorted data may lead to misunderstanding what the data has to tell us. What if, for example, there was no calendar? Or what if a calendar doesn’t have dates sorted differently according to different months? Hence the calendar is organized. 

 

The solution is to sort data efficiently, and the following section talks about sorting data.

How do we sort data?

Step 1: Collection of data

 

Step 2: Organizing data in the form of pie charts, graphs, tables, and so on

 

Step 3: Interpretation and analysis of the data

 

Collection    Organizational presentation  ⇒  Interpretation analysis

 

Let us understand these steps with the help of examples.

 

Example 1:

 

Collection – 

The class saw 11 dolphins, 6 seals, 13 crabs, 16 sharks, and 9 turtles during a trip to the aquarium.

 

Organizing data through a  presentation in terms of a pie chart.

 

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Interpretation analysis – Sharks were the most frequently seen, followed by seals.

 

Example 2:

 

Collection – 

Annual whale sighting reports for the past five years have included 10, 24, 13, 35, and 15 sightings respectively.

 

Organizational presentation in terms of a bar graph.

 

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Interpretation analysis – For the past five years, there have been an average of 20 whale sightings per year.

 

When we have a large amount of data,  then we have to use tally marks to make the data easier to understand. Tally marks are used to represent data about very large sets of data. 

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What is a tally chart?

Tally marks are a numerical system for simplifying the counting of data. Tally is a word that means “equal” or “that corresponds to the counting of a specific object or thing.” They can keep track of points, people, and scores, among other things. Data is collected using tally marks on tally charts. Filling a chart with tally marks is much faster than writing words, so it’s a quick and an efficient way to collect data. Tally charts can also be used to solve addition, subtraction, and word problems.

Tally marks

The unary numeral system includes tally marks. They’re used all over the world for counting and visualizing grouped observations. A tally mark, also known as a hash mark, is a simple and widely used method of representing scores in a variety of sports. To indicate one, the tally mark is represented by the symbol “|” (a single vertical bar). A tally mark is typically written in a five-line format. Count 1 is represented by a vertical line. Count 4 is four vertical lines, while count 5 is four vertical lines plus a line across the four lines.

 

A tally mark chart is a graphical representation of data in statistics. It assists us in arranging data in a logical manner. On graphs, tally marks are a quick way to keep track of numbers in groups of five. A tally chart is made up of a group of tally marks that represent data in a table. A tally chart with tally marks for numbers counting from 1 to 10 is shown below.

 

 

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Limitations of tally charts

Tally charts, for example, are great for tallying up information like points in sports or a count of a small number of objects, but they are not of much use when dealing with larger amounts of data. 

Counting over 1000 objects, or points, on a tally chart, for example, would be a lot of work because the process would take a long time and take up a lot of space. As a result, they’re best when used with smaller numbers, and a graph with movable axes would be more appropriate in the case of larger sets of data.

Examples of tally charts

1)  Complete the tally chart.  

 

Medals

Tally marks

Gold

?

Silver

?

Bronze

?

 

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Solution:

 

 

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2)  Complete the tally chart.

 

Ants

Ants

Tally marks

Red ants

?

Black ants

?

 

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Solution:

 

 

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3)  Complete the tally chart.

 

Insects

Tally marks

Caterpillars

?

Flies

?

Lady bugs

?

 

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Solution:

 

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4)  Complete the tally chart.

 

Bugs

Tally marks

Spider

?

Ant

?

Snail

?

Butterfly

?

Bee

?

 

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Solution:

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

The significance of data interpretation is obvious, which is why it must be done accurately. Data is likely to be collected from a variety of sources, and there is a possibility of data arriving in a disorganized manner that cannot be understood. Data can also be used for various purposes. If the students of one grade want to go camping and the students of another grade want to go trekking, then the teachers have the choice of arranging a camping trip or a trek, or both. Hence, once there is data, and when the data is organized, making decisions based on the data becomes easy.

The term “tally” does not always refer to the hashes or tally marks on a tally chart; it can also refer to the total amount in the case of a receipt from the supermarket, for example.