{"id":12274,"date":"2016-11-28T06:00:29","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T11:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/grockit.com\/blog\/collegeprep\/?p=2417"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:42:31","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:42:31","slug":"act-interpreting-graphs-charts-and-tables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/act\/act-interpreting-graphs-charts-and-tables\/","title":{"rendered":"ACT Math: Interpreting Graphs, Charts and Tables"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Before we discuss strategies and tips for interpreting graphs, charts and tables, we first need to know the use and purpose of each.\u00a0<strong>Charts <\/strong>and<strong> graphs <\/strong>organize, categorize and compare data. They come in various shapes and sizes (e.g., pie, bar, line). They commonly use columns, symbols and\/or pictures to show the information needed to solve a problem.\u00a0<strong>Tables<\/strong>, on the other hand, are used to represent a large amount of information in an organized way. All information will be presented in columns and rows. These formats normally make it easy to solve table problems on the ACT.\u00a0Let&#8217;s look at\u00a0five tips for interpreting questions using graphs, charts and tables and a sample question using a table.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n<div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_heading  avia-builder-el-first '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Read title<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Carefully read the title of the graph, chart or table<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Look at key<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Make sure you understand what each part of the key (if a chart or graph) means<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Read other titles<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Make sure you read the title of each row and\/or column on a table<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Look at figure before questions<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Get a general understanding of what the graph, chart or table\u2019s information relays before looking at the question<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Read carefully <\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>Carefully read the question to figure out what information you\u2019re going to be looking for. Make sure you understand which part(s) of the graph, chart or table will provide you with the relevant information<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_iconlist  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Table Sample Question<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nWith these tips in mind, let\u2019s examine the following example:<br \/>\n<strong>Results of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election<\/strong><\/p>\n<table border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\"><strong>Political Party<\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\"><strong>Candidate<\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\"><strong>Popular Vote<\/strong><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\"><strong>Electoral College<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Republican<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Allen Johnson<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">45,022,000<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">278<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Democrat<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Steven Hubert<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">46,111,000<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">257<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Libertarian<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Paul Smith<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">2,100,000<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Green<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Catherine Pulitzer<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">1,405,000<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Constitutional Union<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">William J. Iredell<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">340,000<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Working Family<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Erin Billups<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">105,000<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Liberty<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">Sarah Weeks<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">75,000<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"160\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Exit polling indicates that 90% of people who voted for Paul Smith would have voted for Allen Johnson if Smith had not run. The other 10% said that they would not have voted at all. 50% of the people who voted for Catherine Pulitzer said they would\u2019ve voted for the Democrat if Pulitzer had not run. The remaining 50% said they would\u2019ve abstained from voting. No election in a state was close enough to switch the Electoral College to the other candidate (Republican or Democrat) if this had occurred.<br \/>\n<em>How would the election results have been different if both the Green and Libertarian parties had not run a presidential candidate?<\/em><br \/>\n<em>A) <\/em><em>Nothing would have changed<\/em><br \/>\n<em>B) <\/em><em>The Republican candidate for president would have won the popular vote<\/em><br \/>\n<em>C) <\/em><em>Steven Hubert would have won the Electoral College<\/em><br \/>\n<em>D) <\/em><em>The Constitutional Union party would have done better in the popular vote and Electoral College<\/em><br \/>\n<em>E) <\/em><em>Allen Johnson would have won the Electoral College<\/em><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h4  blockquote modern-quote  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_heading  avia-builder-el-last  '><h4 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Explanation<\/h4><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nWhat information do we need from the question and the table? From the question, it\u2019s important to know that the Electoral Vote wouldn\u2019t have changed. We can use this information to eliminate choices C, D, and E.<br \/>\nNow we need to interpret and analyze data from the chart to figure out if the popular vote would\u2019ve changed. 90% of the people who voted for the Libertarian candidate, Smith, would\u2019ve voted for Johnson had Smith not run. This means an additional 1,890,000 (2.1 million x 0.9) people would\u2019ve voted for Johnson. That means his total vote would have been 46,912,000.<br \/>\nNow, 50% of the people who voted for the Green candidate said they would\u2019ve voted for the Democrat had the Green candidate not been Pulitzer. This means an additional 702,500 (1,405,000 x 0.5) would have voted for Hubert, bringing his popular vote to 46,813,500.<br \/>\nIt appears as though something would\u2019ve changed, as Johnson would\u2019ve won both the popular vote and the Electoral College, meaning the correct answer\u2019s B.<br \/>\nInterpreting the table was extremely important for solving the problem above. Make sure you take your time and understand what the information on the graph, chart or table is relaying.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before we discuss strategies and tips for interpreting graphs, charts and tables, we first need to know the use and purpose of each.\u00a0Charts and graphs organize, categorize and compare data. They come in various shapes and sizes (e.g., pie, bar, line). They commonly use columns, symbols and\/or pictures to show the information needed to solve [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27028,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[58],"tags":[792],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12274"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12274"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36123,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12274\/revisions\/36123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}