Interpreting Circle Graphs - Sample Problems

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____ 1. Hannah created a table of the different types of music in a CD collection.

Music Types Percentage of

CDs
Rock 10
R&B 30
Country 15
Oldies 25
Pop 20

Hannah started to create the circle graph shown to represent these data.

Rock
R&B
Country
Oldies
Oldies

What type of music does the shaded region represent?

a. R&B
b. Pop
c. Oldies
d. Country
e. Rock
____ 2. Chris created a table of the different types of music in a CD collection.

Music Types Percentage of

CDs
Oldies 30
R&B 10
Country 20
Pop 15
Rock 25

Chris started to create the circle graph shown to represent these data.
 Oldies
R&B
Country
Pop
Rock

What type of music does the shaded region represent?

a. Rock
b. R&B
c. Oldies
d. Pop
e. Country
____ 3. The graph shows how the city budget is distributed among five departments.

The city spends about $4 million on garbage.

About how much does the city spend on parks?

a. $8 million
b. $2 million
c. $12 million
d. $29 million
e. $4 million
____ 4. The graph shows how the city budget is distributed among five departments.
 The city spends about $10 million on garbage.

About how much does the city spend on roads?

a. $10 million
b. $5 million
c. $30 million
d. $20 million
e. $26.5 million
____ 5. John surveyed 27 students in the class to determine each student’s favorite subject. The results are shown in
the table:
Favorite subject Choices Number of Students
math 10
science 5
social studies 4
language arts 5
phys. ed. 3
Construct a circle graph that gives a reasonable representation of the data.
a. subject

math
science
social studies
language arts
phys. ed.
b. subject

math
science
social studies
language arts
phys. ed.

c. subject

math
science
social studies
language arts
phys. ed.

d. subject

math
science
social studies
language arts
phys. ed.
 e. subject

math
science
language arts

f. subject

math
science
social studies
language arts

____ 6. Mike surveyed 25 students in the class to determine each student’s favorite movie. The results are shown in
the table:
Favorite movie Choices Number of Students
Shrek 3 10
Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Spider-Man 3 4
Transformers 3
The Simpsons 4
Construct a circle graph that gives a reasonable representation of the data.
a. movie

Shrek 3
Pirates of the Caribbean
Spider-M an 3
Transformers
The Simpsons

b. movie

Shrek 3
Pirates of the Caribbean
Spider-M an 3
Transformers
The Simpsons

c. movie

Shrek 3
Pirates of the Caribbean
Spider-M an 3
Transformers
The Simpsons
 d. movie

Shrek 3
Pirates of the Caribbean
Spider-M an 3
Transformers
The Simpsons

e. movie

Shrek 3
Pirates of the Caribbean
Transformers

f. movie

Shrek 3
Pirates of the Caribbean
Spider-M an 3
Transformers

____ 7. In a recent election, 112 students voted for the sixth-grade class president. The results are shown in the graph.
 Election Results

Adam
John
George
Aaron

About how many votes did Adam receive?

a. 56 votes d. 42 votes
b. 28 votes e. 84 votes
c. 14 votes f. 70 votes
____ 8. In a recent election, 112 students voted for the sixth-grade class president. The results are shown in the graph.
Election Results

Aaron
Hilary
Fred
David

About how many votes did Fred receive?

a. 42 votes d. 84 votes
b. 56 votes e. 70 votes
c. 14 votes f. 28 votes
Interpreting Circle Graphs - Sample Problems
Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. ANS: A
R&B

Rock
R&B
Country
Oldies
Oldies

You basically look at the shaded region and see how it compares to the other unshaded regions. If it is the
biggest region, you would pick the type of music that is the largest, etc.

PTS: 1 DIF: 1 REF: 5th Grade Math Ohio Achievement Test: Spring 2006
OBJ: Determine appropriate dta to be collected to answer quetions posed by student or teacher, collect and
display data, and clearly communicate findings.
NAT: Collect, organize, display and interpret data for a specific purpose or need.
STA: 5.DAP.4 LOC: 5.DAP.E TOP: Graphs
KEY: circle graph, pie chart, table, percent
2. ANS: C
Oldies

Oldies
R&B
Country
Pop
Rock
 You basically look at the shaded region and see how it compares to the other unshaded regions. If it is the
biggest region, you would pick the type of music that is the largest, etc.

PTS: 1 DIF: 1 REF: 5th Grade Math Ohio Achievement Test: Spring 2006
OBJ: Determine appropriate dta to be collected to answer quetions posed by student or teacher, collect and
display data, and clearly communicate findings.
NAT: Collect, organize, display and interpret data for a specific purpose or need.
STA: 5.DAP.4 LOC: 5.DAP.E TOP: Graphs
KEY: circle graph, pie chart, table, percent
3. ANS: B
$2 million

They gave the amount spent on garbage. When estimating, it looks like the police section of the graph is
about three times the size of the garbage. It looks as though the amount spent on roads is the same as the
amount spent on garbage. The amount spent on parks is about half the amount spent on garbage. The amount
spent on fire is about double the amount spent on garbage.

Police spendings:
Roads spending:
Parks spending:
Fire spendings:

PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: 6th Grade Math Ohio Achievement Test: Spring 2008
OBJ: Read, construct and interpret line graphs, circle graphs and histograms.
NAT: Collect, organize, display and interpret data for a specific purpose or need.
STA: 6.DAP.1 LOC: 6.DAP.E TOP: Graphs KEY: pie chart/circle graph
4. ANS: A
$10 million
 They gave the amount spent on garbage. When estimating, it looks like the police section of the graph is
about three times the size of the garbage. It looks as though the amount spent on roads is the same as the
amount spent on garbage. The amount spent on parks is about half the amount spent on garbage. The amount
spent on fire is about double the amount spent on garbage.

Police spendings:
Roads spending:
Parks spending:
Fire spendings:

PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: 6th Grade Math Ohio Achievement Test: Spring 2008
OBJ: Read, construct and interpret line graphs, circle graphs and histograms.
NAT: Collect, organize, display and interpret data for a specific purpose or need.
STA: 6.DAP.1 LOC: 6.DAP.E TOP: Graphs KEY: pie chart/circle graph
5. ANS: A
subject

math
science
social studies
language arts
phys. ed.

You want to pick the graph that has the best proportional representation of the data. This is best done by
looking at the values and trying to match up which section on the graph is relative to the information given in
the table. The most number of student responses will have the largest section of the graph. The smallest
number of student responses will have the smallest section in the graph.

PTS: 1 DIF: 3 REF: 6th Grade Math Achievement: Spring 2007

OBJ: Read, construct and interpret line graphs, circles graphs and histograms
STA: 6.DAP.1 TOP: Graphs: Circle Graphs KEY: circle, pie, graph, chart
6. ANS: A
movie

Shrek 3
Pirates of the Caribbean
Spider-M an 3
Transformers
The Simpsons

You want to pick the graph that has the best proportional representation of the data. This is best done by
looking at the values and trying to match up which section on the graph is relative to the information given in
the table. The most number of student responses will have the largest section of the graph. The smallest
number of student responses will have the smallest section in the graph.

PTS: 1 DIF: 3 REF: 6th Grade Math Achievement: Spring 2007

OBJ: Read, construct and interpret line graphs, circles graphs and histograms
STA: 6.DAP.1 TOP: Graphs: Circle Graphs KEY: circle, pie, graph, chart
7. ANS: B
To solve this problem, you need to first identify what fraction of the circle you are dealing with. Make sure to
identify the correct portion of the circle graph. In this case we are looking at Adam. This candidate represents
1
of the circle. Then you just need to find out how many voters this fraction represents. You can multiply to
4
find this out. . You may also turn the fraction into a decimal and multiply that by the number
of voters if you are more comfortable with this procedure.

If you are getting stuck, it might help to find out other portions of the circle graph and try to work from there.

PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: 6th Grade Math Achievement: Spring 2006

OBJ: Read, construct and interpret line graphs, circles graphs and histograms
STA: 6.DAP.1 TOP: Graphs: Circle Graphs/Pie Charts
KEY: circle graph, pie chart, problem-solving
8. ANS: A
To solve this problem, you need to first identify what fraction of the circle you are dealing with. Make sure to
identify the correct portion of the circle graph. In this case we are looking at Fred. This candidate represents
3
of the circle. Then you just need to find out how many voters this fraction represents. You can multiply to
8
find this out. . You may also turn the fraction into a decimal and multiply that by the number
of voters if you are more comfortable with this procedure.

If you are getting stuck, it might help to find out other portions of the circle graph and try to work from there.

PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: 6th Grade Math Achievement: Spring 2006

OBJ: Read, construct and interpret line graphs, circles graphs and histograms
STA: 6.DAP.1 TOP: Graphs: Circle Graphs/Pie Charts
KEY: circle graph, pie chart, problem-solving