Skip to content
Cambridge IGCSE0417

Graphs and charts

Information Communication Technology 0417 Chapter Notes

What this chapter covers

Graphs and charts
ShareWhatsAppPost
Graphs and charts notes

Read online free. Download a watermarked copy with a free account.

Read the notes

The full Graphs and charts notes as text: skim, search, and jump between subtopics.

~8 min read

In this chapter

  1. 1Choosing the chart type and selecting the data
  2. 2Titles and labels
  3. 3Pie charts: sector labels and pulling out a sector
  4. 4Data labels, a second series and number formats
  5. 5Setting the axis scale
  6. 6Enhancing the chart and placing it

1. Choosing the chart type and selecting the data

Select the data first. Contiguous data is one block of neighbouring cells. Non-contiguous data is separate pieces, such as the category names and one other column. A specified data range is only the cells the question names.

Then select the graph or chart type the question names. When a vertical bar chart is asked for, a horizontal bar chart is wrong. When a standard line chart is asked for, a stacked line chart is wrong.

Put the year or other categories on the category axis and the measurements on the value axis.

Examiner insight

“The data selection was not always correct with some candidates charting all the data and others including data from the Total column in their selection.” “Some candidates selected more than the top five countries and several included the data for 2014 and 2018 in their selection.”

Worked example 13 marks

Use the data in the file j2621demand.csv to create a stacked column chart to compare the battery demands for all vehicle types from 2020 to 2025 only.

This chart must display the year on the category axis, the GWh per year on the value axis and a legend showing the vehicle types.

  1. 1

    Stacked column chart created using correct data (all vehicles, 2020 to 2025 only) [1]

  2. 2

    Year data on category axis, GWh data on value axis [1]

  3. 3

    Legend displays all 6 vehicle types [1]

2. Titles and labels

Label the chart with a chart title, a category axis title and a value axis title. A chart can also carry a legend, category axis labels, value axis labels and data value labels.

Type each label exactly as the question gives it. Check the spelling, the capital letters and the words that sit on each axis.

Examiner insight

“The chart and axis titles were usually entered in the correct position but occasionally contained data entry or capitalisation errors such as County for Country and Thousand for Thousands.” “The title was not always displayed as shown with some entering the text in uppercase or with each word capitalised.”

Worked example 12 marks

Label the chart as follows: chart title Annual lithium-ion battery usage, value axis title GWh and category axis title Year.

  1. 1

    Chart title Annual lithium-ion battery usage, 100% accurate [1]

  2. 2

    Value axis label GWh and category axis label Year, 100% accurate [1]

3. Pie charts: sector labels and pulling out a sector

A pie chart can show sector labels (the names), sector values and percentages. Choose only the ones the question asks for. Position the labels outside each chart sector when told to.

Remove the legend when told. A legend for a single series of data is wrong.

To emphasise one sector, extract (pull away) only that sector. Do not explode the whole pie.

Examiner insight

“Controlling the sector label display proved challenging for some candidates. Often values, percentages and labels were all displayed and others displayed values instead of percentages.” “Some candidates used an exploded pie chart and therefore did not control which sector was pulled away.”

Worked example 13 marks

Format the chart to display only the countries and percentages as sector labels.

Position the sector labels outside each chart sector.

Do not display a legend.

  1. 1

    Sector labels display countries and percentages only [1]

  2. 2

    All sector labels display outside each chart sector [1]

  3. 3

    No legend displayed [1]

4. Data labels, a second series and number formats

Data value labels display each value on the chart. When a chart has a second data series, display the labels for both series. Place them on or above the bars so that they can be read.

You must also be able to add a second data series and a second axis to a chart.

Format values to a specified number of decimal places, or to display currency symbols, when asked.

Examiner insight

“Displaying the data values as data labels along the top of each bar was not always done for both sets of data and occasionally these were placed in the middle of each bar making the values difficult to read.” “Displaying the percentages to 1 decimal place was challenging for a number of candidates.”

Worked example 13 marks

A column chart compares the sales of five shops in dollars. Display the sales on each column as data labels, formatted to 2 decimal places and with a dollar symbol.

  1. 1

    Turn on the data value labels for the series [1]

  2. 2

    Format the label values to 2 decimal places [1]

  3. 3

    Format the label values to display the dollar currency symbol [1]

5. Setting the axis scale

The value axis scale has three settings: the minimum value, the maximum value and the increments between the numbers on the axis.

Set all three. Candidates who changed the maximum without changing the increments were left with the wrong minimum value. Do not display the axis values as currency unless the question asks.

Examiner insight

“A few did not attempt to make any changes or changed the maximum value to 2100 without changing the increments to 300, resulting in a minimum value of -400.” “Candidates are advised not to display these values as currency unless asked to in the question.”

Worked example 12 marks

Format the value axis scale to display a minimum value of 0, a maximum value of 1250 and increments of 250.

  1. 1

    Value axis displays minimum 0, maximum 1250 [1]

  2. 2

    Value axis displays increments of 250 [1]

6. Enhancing the chart and placing it

To enhance the appearance of a chart, change the colour scheme or the fill patterns, or extract a pie chart sector.

Place the chart where the question says. Move the bulleted text to make room for it. Resize the chart so that no words are split and the data and labels are fully visible. It must not overlap other items on the slide.

Examiner insight

“A small number did not adjust the position of the bulleted text to make room for the chart on the left and instead placed it above or below the text.” “Occasionally the chart overlapped the bulleted text or the text wrapped around the chart.”

Worked example 11 mark

Place the chart to the left of the bullets on the slide with the title Vehicle Recycling.

Make sure that no words are split, all data and labels are fully visible, and the chart and its contents do not overlap any slide items.

  1. 1

    Chart on the correct slide, left of the bullets

  2. 2

    Chart data fully visible, with no overlap or split words [1]

Recap

  • Select only the data asked for. Leave out the Total column and extra years.
  • Use the chart type named. Vertical bar means upright bars.
  • Type chart and axis titles exactly as given.
  • Pie sector labels: display only what is asked, where it is asked, and no legend when told.
  • Pull away only the one sector asked for.
  • Set the axis minimum, maximum and increments.
  • Use currency or decimal places when the question asks, and not otherwise.
  • Place the chart where told, with all data visible and nothing overlapping.

End-of-chapter exercise

Test yourself on the whole chapter. Work through these before moving on.

  1. A vertical bar chart is asked for. A candidate's chart has horizontal bars. State the mistake.1 mark
  2. Row 1 of a table holds headings and rows 2 to 7 hold data. Column A holds years, B Cars, C Vans and D Total. State the cells to select to chart Cars and Vans for each year.2 marks
  3. Row 1 of a table holds headings and rows 2 to 7 hold data. Column A holds country names, B and C hold data for 2014 and 2018, and D holds data for 2022. Describe how to select the data for a chart of the countries and the 2022 data only.2 marks
  4. A question gives the chart title as Monthly rainfall in Kisumu. A candidate types Monthly Rainfall In Kisumu. Explain why the mark is not awarded.1 mark
  5. A pie chart of the sales of five shops displays the shop names, values and percentages inside the sectors, and a legend. The question asked for shop names and percentages only, outside each chart sector, and no legend. State the three changes needed.3 marks
  6. A question asks for the value axis title Sales (£) and a scale of 0 to 3000 in increments of 500. A candidate displays the axis numbers as currency. Explain if this was needed.2 marks
  7. A column chart compares high and low air temperatures for six months. Data labels are displayed for the high temperatures only, in the middle of each bar. State two corrections.2 marks
  8. A chart must go to the left of the bullets on a slide. A candidate puts it below them, where it covers the last bullet and one axis label is split over two lines. State three corrections.3 marks
  9. A value axis must have a minimum of 0, a maximum of 1400 and increments of 200. A candidate changes only the maximum, to 1400. The software keeps its own increments of 300, counting down from the maximum and stopping at the first number below 0. (a) Write down every number on the candidate's axis and state its minimum value. (b) Write down every number on the correct axis and state how many there are. (c) State what the candidate still has to set.4 marks
  10. The table is a spreadsheet of waste recycled by four year groups, in kg, with headings in row 1 and year groups in column A. A pie chart of the plastic recycled by each year group only must have the year groups and percentages to 1 decimal place as sector labels, and only the largest sector pulled away. (a) State the cells to select and describe how to select them. (b) Work out the four percentages and name the sector to pull away. (c) A candidate also selects row 6. Work out the new Year 9 percentage and explain why the wrong sector is pulled away. | Year group | Paper | Plastic | Total | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Year 7 | 40 | 18 | 58 | | Year 8 | 35 | 27 | 62 | | Year 9 | 25 | 45 | 70 | | Year 10 | 50 | 30 | 80 | | Total | 150 | 120 | 270 |6 marks

Go deeper

Practise and revise with member-only material for this chapter.

Workbook

Exam-style practice questions with full worked solutions.

Unlock with a plan

Chapter at a Glance

A single-page summary of every key idea for fast revision.

Unlock with a plan

Free notes are just the start.

Unlock every Workbook and Chapter at a Glance, and generate your own worksheets and predicted papers.

Explore plans

Related chapters

Hardware and softwareInput devices and their usesStorage devices and mediaNetworksMicroprocessor-controlled devicesCommunication