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Tally Charts & Frequency Tables (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE International Maths)

Revision Note

Mark Curtis

Written by: Mark Curtis

Reviewed by: Dan Finlay

Cambridge (CIE) International Maths: CoreCambridge (CIE) Maths: Core

Tally Charts & Frequency Tables

What is a tally chart?

  • Tally charts are a quick way to count data

  • Each time you count an item, draw a vertical line

    • Do this the first four times

    • The fifth time, draw a diagonal line through the four vertical lines up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike

    • Continue counting in sets of five

  • For example

    • Counting different coloured flowers in the garden

Colour

Tally

Blue

up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike

Red

up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike space space up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike space space vertical line vertical line space space

Yellow

vertical line vertical line vertical line

What is a frequency table?

  • A frequency table counts how many times an item appears

  • Tally charts can be converted into frequency tables

    • Find the totals

      • Count up in 5's then add any extras

      • up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike space up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike space vertical line vertical linemeans 5 + 5 + 2 = 12

  • The tally chart above gives the following frequency table:

Colour

Frequency

Blue

5

Red

12

Yellow

3

Worked Example

Susie asks pupils in her class to select their favourite type of pet.

Write the results in a frequency table.

Dog

Cat

Dog

Dog

Dog

Rabbit

Dog

Rabbit

Cat

Cat

Cat

Dog

Dog

Rabbit

Dog

Cat

Cat

Dog

Dog

Dog

It helps to use a tally chart initially 

Type of pet

Tally

Dog

 up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike space vertical line up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike space vertical line

Cat

 up diagonal strike vertical line vertical line vertical line vertical line end strike space space vertical line

Rabbit

 vertical line vertical line vertical line

 Then write the tally chart as a frequency table 

Type of pet

Frequency

Dog

11

Cat

6

Rabbit

3

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    Author
    Reviewer
    Mark Curtis

    Author: Mark Curtis

    Expertise: Maths

    Mark graduated twice from the University of Oxford: once in 2009 with a First in Mathematics, then again in 2013 with a PhD (DPhil) in Mathematics. He has had nine successful years as a secondary school teacher, specialising in A-Level Further Maths and running extension classes for Oxbridge Maths applicants. Alongside his teaching, he has written five internal textbooks, introduced new spiralling school curriculums and trained other Maths teachers through outreach programmes.

    Dan Finlay

    Author: Dan Finlay

    Expertise: Maths Lead

    Dan graduated from the University of Oxford with a First class degree in mathematics. As well as teaching maths for over 8 years, Dan has marked a range of exams for Edexcel, tutored students and taught A Level Accounting. Dan has a keen interest in statistics and probability and their real-life applications.