The Bar Graph or Bar Chart: What Is It? How To Draw It

The Bar Graph or Bar Chart
What is it? How to Draw it

What is a Bar Graph?
A bar graph is a graph that displays the
frequency or numerical distribution of a
categorical variable, showing values for each
bar next to each other for easy comparison.
Alternate Name:
Bar Chart
2
Bar Graph Example
In June 2005, the US Dept of Transportation
reported the following data by observing 1700
motorcyclists nationwide at randomly selected
roadway location:
Proper Helmet 731
Insufficient Helmet 153
No Helmet 816
Total 1,700
3
Helmets Used by Motorcyclists
Vertical
Source: US Dept of Transportation
Bar 900
Graph 816
800
Example 731
700
600
Number of Motorcyclists
500
400
300
200 153
100
0
Proper Helmet Insufficient Helmet No Helmet
4
Helmet Type
x-axis & y-axis Variables
On a vertical bar Helmets Used by Motorcyclists
graph, the y-axis 900

816
variable is normally a 800
731
quantitative variable. 700
600
Is it discrete or
500
continuous? 400
300
On a vertical bar 200 153
graph, the x-axis 100
variable is normally 0
Proper Helmet Insufficient Helmet No Helmet
a categorical variable Helmet Type

Categorical Variable 5
Type of Variables on the
Previous Motorcycle Bar Graph
x-axis?
Categorical Variable.
Name the categories
Proper, Insufficient, None
y-axis
Discrete Quantitative Variable
What are the units?
Helmets
6
Making a Bar Graph Look Better
What would make this bar graph look better?
If we ranked the numbers by either increasing or
decreasing value, the appearance would be less
jagged, making a Pareto Chart.
What is a Pareto Chart?
A bar graph in which the bars are ordered
according to value, in either increasing or
decreasing order.
Why Pareto Charts? Graph is named for Vilfredo
Pareto, an Italian mathematician & economist.
1848-1923.
7
Vertical Bar Graph as Pareto Chart
Helmets Used by Motorcyclists
900
816
800 751
700
600
500
400
300
200 153
100
0
Insufficient Helmet Proper Helmet No Helmet
Helmet Type 8
Education & Annual Income Survey
Educational Level and Annual Income

Highest Educ Annual Salary
Level in $,000
9th Grade 16.1
High School Gr 34.3
Associate Degree 48.6
Bachelor Degree 62.1
Master's Degree 71.0
Doctoral Degree 84.1
9
Educational Level and Annual Income
Source: US Census Bureau
90
84.1
80
71.0
70
62.1
60
50
48.6
$,000/yr
40
34.3
30
20 16.1
10
9th Grade
High Associate Bachelor Master's Doctoral
Highest Ed Level School Gr Degree Degree Degree Degree 10
Retail Sales
Sales per Square Foot in $
Store $/Ft
Dillard's 147
Kohl's 279
Marshall Field's 220
Federated 192
Nordstrom 357
Sears 250
Target 410 11
Pareto Chart of Sales At Retail Outlets
Sales by Store in $/Sq Ft
Source: Wall Street Journal
450
410
400
357
350
300 279
250
250
Sales per Sq Foot
220
200
192
147
150
100
50
0
Retailer
Dillard's Federated Marshall Sears Kohls Nordstrom Target
Field's 12
Sales by Store in $/Ft
Non Pareto Source: Wall Street Journal
Version of 450
410
Sales 400
357
350
Sales per Sq Foot
300 279
250
250
220
200 192
147
150
100
50
0
Dillard's Kohl's Marshall Federated Nordstrom Sears Target
Field's 13
Retailer
Bar Graphs: VERY FLEXIBLE FORMAT
Advantage over Pie Charts
Bar Graphs are easier to make & to read
than pie charts.
How are they similar to Pie Charts?
Both pie charts & bar graphs can display the
distribution of a categorical variable
How are they different from Pie Charts?
A bar graph can also compare any set of
quantities measured in the same units.
14
Psychic Phenomena
Belief in Various Supernatural Phenomena

Phenomenon # of people
Psychic Healing 546
ESP 506
Ghosts 385
Astrology 283
Channeling 152
15
Pareto Chart of Psychic Phenomena
What Psychic Phenomena Do Americans Believe In?

600
546
506 Source: Gallup Poll
500
400
385
Number of People
300
283
200
152
100
0
Psychic Healing ESP Ghosts Astrology Channeling
Psychic Phenomena
16
In Class Survey:
Do you believe in Supernatural Phenomena?
Does Intro Stats Believe in

Psychic Phenomenon?
(including psychic healing, ghosts, astrology, ESP, channeling, etc)
Per 1 Per 2 Per 4 Per 6 Totals
Yes
No
No Opinion
Totals
17
In Class Survey:
Does Intro Stats Believe in

Psychic Phenomenon?
(including psychic healing, ghosts, astrology, ESP, channeling, etc)
Per 3 Per 5 Totals
Yes
No
No Opinion
Totals
18
In Class Survey Results from 2009:
Per Two Per Three Per Four Per Five Totals

Yes 14 17 22 18 71
No 19 9 8 11 47
No Opinion 0 9 1 1 11
Totals 33 35 31 30 129
19
In Class Survey Results from 2009
3-Level Comparative Bar Graph
Does Intro Stat Believe in Psychic Phenomena? Yes
25 No
Source: In Class Survey 22
No Opinion
20 19
18
17
14
Number of Students
15
11
10 9 9
8
5
1 1
0
0
Class Per Two Per Three Per Four Per Five
20
In Class Survey Results from 2009: Simple Bar
Graph
Does Intro Stat Believe in Psychic Phenomena?

80
71
70
Source: In Class Survey
60
Number of Students
47
50
40
30
20
11
10
0
Yes No No Opinion
Opinion
21
In Class Survey Results from 2009: Pie Chart
Does Intro Stat Believe in Psychic Phenomena?
No Opinion
8.5%
No Yes
36.4% 55.0%
Source: In Class Survey Sample Size: 129 Students
22
Rainfall In Hawaii
Monthly Rainfall in Inches

Month Inches MonthInches
Jan 4.4 Jul 0.6
Feb 2.5 Aug 0.8
Mar 3.2 Sep 0.7
Apr 1.4 Oct 1.5
May 1.0 Nov 3.0
Jun 0.3 Dec 3.6
23
Monthly Rainfall in Honlulu 2006
5.0
Source: Hawaiian Weather Bureau
4.5
4.4
4.0
3.6
3.5
3.2
3.0
3.0
Inches
2.5
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.5 1.4
1.0
1.0 0.8
0.6 0.7
0.5 0.3
0.0
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
24
Bar Graph Characteristics
1. Data can be quantitative or categorical
2. Bars can be vertical or horizontal
3. The x-axis represents the category
displayed
4. The y-axis represents the quantitative
values of the variable being displayed
5. Bars are of uniform width and uniformly
spaced
25
Bar Graph Characteristics
6. A consistent measurement scale is used
for each vertical bar
7. Height of bars represent the values of
the variable displayed, the frequency of
occurrence or percentage of occurrence
8. The graph is well-annotated with title,
labels for each bar, vertical scale,
horizontal categories, source
26
Changing Scale The Squiggle
What is a squiggle?
At least a 2-angle line on a bar graph axis that abbreviates a scale.
When do you use a squiggle?
Use a squiggle on the changed axis whenever you change scale in a bar graph.
Horizontal Squiggle Vertical Squiggle
or
27
Pie to Bar: Spending On NY Lottery
NY State Lottery Sales in $bn in 2002

Other Games
13.4%
Instant Games
Lotto 42.7%
23.1%
4-Digit Games Source: Stat Abstract of the US

7.2% 3-Digit Games
13.6% Sample Size: $38.4 bn
28
Spending On NY Lottery
$ %
Type of Game in bn nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Instant Games
3-Digit Games
4-Digit Games
Lotto
Other Games
Totals
29
Spending On NY Lottery
$ %
Type of Game in bn nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Instant Games 16.4 42.7% 153.8
3-Digit Games 5.2 13.6% 49.1
4-Digit Games 2.8 7.2% 26.0
Lotto 8.9 23.1% 83.0
Other Games 5.1 13.4% 48.1
Totals 38.4 100.0% 360.0
30
NY State Lottery Sales in $bn
18.0
16.4 Source: Statistical Abstract of US
16.0
14.0
12.0
10.0
8.9
Sales in $bn
8.0
6.0 5.2 5.1
4.0
2.8
2.0
0.0
Instant Games 3-Digit Games 4-Digit Games Lotto Other

Type of Game
31
Turning a Pie Chart into a Bar Graph
What Job Do Students Want After College?
Grad School
18.0%
Private
Co/Business
36.1%
Own
Business
13.9%
State/Local Federal
Gov't Government
18.9% 13.1%
Source: Duke University Sample Size: 122 Students

32
%
Job Type # students nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Fed Gov't
Private Co/Bus
Grad School
Own Business
State/Local Gov't
Total
33

Job Type # students % of Total nrst 0.1
Fed Gov't 16 13.1% 47.2
Private Co/Bus 44 36.1% 129.8
Grad School 22 18.0% 64.9
Own Business 17 13.9% 50.2
State/Local Gov't 23 18.9% 67.9
Total 122 100.0% 360.0
34
50
What Job Do Students Want After College?

45 44
Source: Duke University
40
35
Number of Students
30
25 23 22
20
16 17
15
10
0
Private Co/Business Federal Government State/Local Gov't Own Business Grad School
35
Would The Bar Graph Make a Good Pie
Chart?
Only when Bar Graphs represent parts of
a whole, can it be made into a Pie Chart.
If the answer is NO, you could write:
No, because these values are comparative
data only.
No, because these values DO NOT represent
parts of the whole.
If the answer is YES, you could write:
Yes, because these values represent parts of
the whole.
36
Bar Graph & Pie Chart Relationship Summary
Every Pie Chart COULD be made into a

Bar Graph
BUT
NOT all Bar Graphs CAN be made into
Pie Charts
Pie Chart Bar Graph

Bar Graph Pie Chart
37
Where Do Pet Owners
Get Their Animals? Animal
Shelters
14.7%
Acquaintances
43.9%
Pet Stores
9.4%
Breeders
31.9%
Source: USA Today Sample Size: 1994 Pet Owners
38
Sourcing a New Pet
%
# of People nrst 0.1% nrst 0.1
Acquaintances
Breeders
Pet Stores
Animal Shelters
Totals
39
# of People %
nrst 0.1% nrst 0.1
Acquaintances 876 43.9% 158.2
Breeders 636 31.9% 114.8
Pet Stores 188 9.4% 33.9
Animal Shelters 294 14.7% 53.1
Totals 1994 100.0% 360
40
Where US Pet Owners Get Their Pets
in July 2008
1000
900 876
800
Number of People
700
636
600
500
400
294
300
188
200
100
Acquaintances Breeders Pet Stores Animal Shelters

Pet Source Source: USA Today
41
Top Broadband Players

Market Share 2009
Verizon
18.1%
Comcast
33.3%
Time
Warner
19.2%
AT&T
29.4%
Source: Gartner Sample Size: 45.9m subscribers
42
Top Broadband Companies

# of Subscribers %
in millions nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Comcast
AT&T
Time Warner
Verizon
Totals
43
Top Broadband Companies

# of Subscribers %
in millions nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Comcast 15.3 33.3% 119.8
AT&T 13.5 29.4% 105.8
Time Warner 8.8 19.2% 69.0
Verizon 8.3 18.1% 65.2
Totals 45.9 100.0% 360.0
44
18
Top Internet Broadband Players # of Subscribers 2009
16 15.3
Source: Gartner
14 13.5
12
Subscribers in Millions
10
8.8
8.3
8
0
Company Comcast AT&T Time Warner Verizon 45
Deciding Which Graph is Better
The Chicago Tribune polled

No Opinion
380 randomly selected 8%
Chicago residents from August
27 to 31, 2009 on the subject
of the potential Chicago
Olympics of 2016. In favor
47%
The question asked was, Do Oppose

45%
you favor or oppose Chicago
hosting the 2016 Olympic
games? The results of the poll
were:
Supply the remainder of the data
labels
46
Could the Pie Chart Become a Bar Graph?
The answer is 200
obviously yes, 180

179
171
160
But the question 140
remains, 120
100
Which Graph looks 80
60
better? Which Graph 40 30
is better for display

20
purposes? In favor Oppose No Opinion
This is a matter of
opinion Supply the remainder of the data
labels
47
Examining a Bar Chart for Meaning
Whats the question?
Whats the title?
Whats the population?
Whats the sample?
How many variables? 70000
11.4%
12.0%
61,786
What are they? 60000 57,936
10.3% 10.3%
10.0%
Whats the conclusion? 50000

51,116 50,979 51,372
8.0%
Good pie chart? 40000
7.7%
6.6%
Is this a Pareto chart? 30000

6.0%
4.0%
20000
2.0%
10000
0 0.0%
Washington, DC Seattle, WA New York, NY Portland, OR Austin, TX
48
How Satisfied are You with US Public Schools?
Source: YouGov for Economist Sample Size: 2546 Americans
Very Satisfied
3.7%
Somewhat
Somewhat
Dissatisfied
31.8% Satisfied
27.2%
Very
Dissatisfied
37.3%
49
Number of %
Level of Satisfaction Responses nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Very Satisfied
Somewhat Satisfied
Somewhat Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
Total
50
Number of %
Level of Satisfaction Responses nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Very Satisfied 94 3.7 13.3
Somewhat Satisfied 693 27.2 97.9
Somewhat Dissatisfied 950 37.3 134.3
Very Dissatisfied 810 31.8 114.5
Total 2546 100.0 360
51
1000 950
How Satisfied Are You with US Public Schools?
900
Source: YouGov for the Economist 810
800
Number of Responses
693
700
600
500
400
300
200
94
100
0
Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Somewhat Very Dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
52
Turning Pie Charts to Bar Graphs
What is the most serious problem

facing America?
Neither
Education
4.7%
18.4%
Equally
Health
Serious
Care
55.3%
21.6%
Source: YouGov for Economist Sample Size: 2546 Americans
53
Number of %
Issue Responses nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Education
Health Care
Equally Serious
Neither
Total
54
Number of %
Issue Responses nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Education 468 18.4 66.2
Health Care 550 21.6 77.8
Equally Serious 1408 55.3 199.1
Neither 120 4.7 16.9
Total 2546 100.0 360
55
What is the most serious problem facing America?
1600
Source: YouGov for the Economist
1400 1408
1200
Number of Responses
1000
800
600
550
468
400
200 120
0
Equally Serious Health Care Education Neither
Issue
56
Marital Status of Americans Ages 18 & Over

Sample Size: 185.3m Americans
Divorced
8.8% Single
Widowed 22.6%
7.5%
Married
57
61.1%
Marital Status %
(millions of people) nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Single
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Total
58
Marital Status Count %
(millions of people) nrst 0.1 nrst 0.1
Single 41.8 22.6% 81.2
Married 113.3 61.1% 220.1
Widowed 13.9 7.5% 27.0
Divorced 16.3 8.8% 31.7
Total 185.3 100.0% 360.0
59
Turning Pie Charts to Usual Bar Graphs
150
125
113.3
Number of Adults in Millions
100
75
50 41.8
25 16.3
13.9
0
Single Married Widowed Divorced
Marital Status
60
Turning Pie Charts to Pareto Bar Graphs
150
125
113.3
Number of Adults in Millions
100
75
50 41.8
25 16.3 13.9
0
Married Single Divorced Widowed
Marital Status
61
Steps in Bar Chart Construction
1. Use a straight edge on a piece of graph

paper
2. Make a first-quadrant x-y axis, unless
some of your data is negative
3. Examine the data and determine the
maximum value of the quantitative data.
Your y-scale must be at least this high
62
4. Choose an appropriate scale for the y-

axis.
5. Mark scale ticks consistently & label
them, until you reach a mark greater
than the highest value of data.
6. Mark of the bar width of each piece of
categorical data you will be using on the
x-axis.
63
7. Make sure you place a space between

each of the data bars.
8. Plot each data point by drawing a bar of
the correct width & height for each.
9. Label the top of each bar with a value.
10. Label both x- and y-axes with a title
11. Title the graph
12. Label the source of the data.
64
What Comes After High School?
Life After High School for 481 1980

Graduates of Ithaca High School
Chosen Path after HS # of Graduates
Continuing Eduation 320
Employed 98
Military 18
Other 45
65
Path After Graduation for Ithaca
High School Graduates in 1980
350 320 Source: Ithaca High School
300
250
Number of Graduates
200
150
98
100
45
50
18
0
Continuing Employed Military Other
Eduation
Chosen Path
66
Chosen Path
Pareto Chart of Path After Graduation
Path After Graduation for Ithaca

High School Graduates in 1980
350
320 Source: Ithaca High School
300
250
Number of Graduates
200
150
98
100
45
50
18
0
Continuing Eduation Employed Other Military

Chosen Path
Chosen Path
67
Kids Borrowing Money (Replace)
Credit Card Debt by Grade Level

Average Credit
Grade Level Card Debt in $
High School Senior 350
College Freshman 1,533
College Sophomore 1,825
College Junior 2,705
College Senior 3,262
1st Yr after Graduation 4,575
68
Credit Card Debt by Grade Level in 2001
5,000
Source: Nellie Mae Institute 4,575

4,500
4,000
Average Credit Card Debt in $
3,500
3,262
3,000
2,705
2,500
2,000 1,825
1,533
1,500
1,000
500 350
Grade 0
Level High School College College College College 1st Yr after
Senior Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduation
69
Mountains to Climb
World's Tallest Mountains

Mt, Location Ht in ft
1 Everest, Tibet 29,035
2 K2, Kashmir 28,250
3 Kanchenjunga, Nepal 28,028
4 Lhotse, Nepal 27,890
5 Makalu, Nepal 27,790
6 Dhaulagiri, Nepal 26,810
7 Manaslu, Nepal 26,760
8 Cho Oyu, Nepal 26,750
70
29,500
World's Highest Mountains
29,035 Source: National Geographic

29,000
28,500
28,250
28,028
Height in Feet
28,000 27,890
27,790
27,500
27,000
26,810 26,760 26,750
26,500
26,000
25,500
t ir a l al al al al al
be m ep ep ep ep ep ep
Ti sh N N N N
st
,
Ka ,N , u, i,
N
u, ,
e , a
ts
e al gir sl yu
e r
K2 ng ho k a a O
Ev j u
L a ul an ho
h en M ha M C
nc D 71
Ka
Quiz #103 Bar Charts
Hints:
You need:
Complete the Vocabulary
Pencil, Eraser Then do the front page
Calculator
Graph Paper (for 2 Place your HW in the HW
graphs: one sheet okay) box
No bags on desk
Clear all lists in Calculator
72

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The Bar Graph or Bar Chart

What is it? How to Draw it

On a vertical bar Helmets Used by Motorcyclists

graph, the y-axis 900

quantitative variable. 700

graph, the x-axis 100

a categorical variable Helmet Type

Educational Level and Annual Income

Belief in Various Supernatural Phenomena

What Psychic Phenomena Do Americans Believe In?

Does Intro Stats Believe in

Per 1 Per 2 Per 4 Per 6 Totals

Does Intro Stats Believe in

Per 3 Per 5 Totals

Per Two Per Three Per Four Per Five Totals

Does Intro Stat Believe in Psychic Phenomena?

Source: In Class Survey Sample Size: 129 Students

Monthly Rainfall in Inches

Horizontal Squiggle Vertical Squiggle

NY State Lottery Sales in $bn in 2002

4-Digit Games Source: Stat Abstract of the US

6.0 5.2 5.1

Instant Games 3-Digit Games 4-Digit Games Lotto Other

Source: Duke University Sample Size: 122 Students

What Job Do Students Want After College?

Every Pie Chart COULD be made into a

Pie Chart Bar Graph

Acquaintances Breeders Pet Stores Animal Shelters

Top Broadband Players

Top Broadband Companies

Top Broadband Companies

The Chicago Tribune polled

The question asked was, Do Oppose

The answer is 200

obviously yes, 180

But the question 140

Which Graph looks 80

better? Which Graph 40 30

is better for display

purposes? In favor Oppose No Opinion

Whats the conclusion? 50000

Is this a Pareto chart? 30000

What is the most serious problem

Source: US Census Bureau

Single 41.8 22.6% 81.2

Married 113.3 61.1% 220.1

Widowed 13.9 7.5% 27.0

Divorced 16.3 8.8% 31.7

Total 185.3 100.0% 360.0

Source: US Census Bureau

Source: US Census Bureau

1. Use a straight edge on a piece of graph

4. Choose an appropriate scale for the y-

7. Make sure you place a space between

Life After High School for 481 1980

Path After Graduation for Ithaca

Continuing Eduation Employed Other Military

Credit Card Debt by Grade Level

Source: Nellie Mae Institute 4,575

World's Tallest Mountains

29,035 Source: National Geographic

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