Circle Graphs

A step by step how to.

Example 1

A software company asked 60 owners what they use their computers for most. Of these owners, 21 said word processing, 18 said spreadsheets, 6 said Internet access, and 15 had other responses. Use a circle graph to display these results.

Step 1: Organize the data in a table.

Number Percent Angle Measure

Word Processing

21

Spreadsheets 18

Internet access 6

Other 15

Step 2: Find the percent of computer owners giving each response.

Number Percent(Fraction x 100)

Angle Measure

Word Processing

21 21 x 100 = 35%60

Spreadsheets 18 18 X 100 = 30%60

Internet access 6 6 X 100 = 10%60

Other 15 15 X 100 = 25%60

Remember to find percent set it up as follows… Part x 100 = Percent

Whole

Step 3: Use these percents to find the angle measures of the sectors

of the circle graph.

Number Percent Angle Measure

Word Processing

21 35%

Spreadsheets 18 30%

Internet access 6 10%

Other 15 25%

To find the angle measure, multiply the percent by 360º.

0.35 x 360º = 126º

0.30 x 360º = 108º

0.10 x 360º = 36º

0.25 x 360º = 90º

Step 4: Use a compass to draw a circle.

.

Step 5: Use a protractor to draw sectors having

the angle measures found in step 3.

.

126º

Word Processing

108º

Step 5: Use a protractor to draw sectors having

the angle measures found in step 3.

Label each sector with the corresponding response & percent.

35%

Step 5: Use a protractor to draw sectors having

the angle measures found in step 3.

Word Processing

Spreadsheets

36º

Label each sector with the corresponding response & percent.

35%

30%

Step 5: Use a protractor to draw sectors having

the angle measures found in step 3.

Word Processing

Spreadsheets

Internet access

Label each sector with the corresponding response & percent.

35%

30%

10%

90º

Step 5: Use a protractor to draw sectors having

the angle measures found in step 3.

Word Processing

Spreadsheets

Internet access

Label each sector with the corresponding response & percent.

35%

30%

10%

25%

Other

Step 6: Title your circle graph.

Word Processing

Spreadsheets

Internet access

35%

30%

10%

25%

Other

Computer Use

Example 2

Recently, in our afternoon tutoring we counted the candy colors in a 1 pound bag of M & M’s. We came up with the following data…

red = 109 blue = 51 green = 23 yellow = 95 brown = 31 orange = 46 purple = 61

Make a circle graph to show the percent of each color of the M & M’s in the 1 pound bag.

What do we need to do first?

Step 1: Organize the data in a table.

Number Percent Angle Measure

Orange

Blue

Green

Red

Yellow

Brown

Purple

46

51

23

109

95

31

61

Number Percent Angle Measure

Orange

Blue

Green

Red

Yellow

Brown

Purple

46

51

23

109

95

31

61

11 %

12 %

6 %

26 %

23 %

8 %

15 %

Number Percent Angle Measure

Orange

Blue

Green

Red

Yellow

Brown

Purple

46

51

23

109

95

31

61

11 %

12 %

6 %

26 %

23 %

8 %

15 %

40º

43º

22º

94º

83º

29º

54º

After I organized my data in a table, what should I do next?

Make your circle graph.

.

Complete this circle graph for homework.

&

Do circle graph worksheet #2.