Graphs and charts

[Daria]

Does anybody know how to prepare for this section? It is very unusual type of problems (for my country I mean). My problem is that I cannot estimate correctly the values of bars or columns. The procedure I use is right but the end value is wrong. For example, I could think that this bar equals 50 units but it shows 60 in reality, thus, the end answer is absolutely wrong........

[Yankee]

Hi Daria

Is there a particular online example you're looking at?

I may not be able to give you any input (I'm an English teacher, not a mathematician ), but I do have to deal with graphs and charts on a regular basis in my Business English courses, so maybe if I saw what you're specifically referring to, I might have a tip or two.

Amy

[Daria]

In the long run I found the graph. The problem is that I cannot precisely estimate the value of each bars. But it is crucial on the Gre test as I've noticed

[Yankee]

Hi Daria

Hmmm... The first thing that comes to mind is that the test probably is not designed to test your eyesight. So, if the top of a bar doesn't correspond exactly with a value on the vertical axis, then you have to estimate. But then I'd also expect the question to ask you something like "about how much" rather than "exactly how much".

Have you seen this website?
http://www.wtamu.edu/academic/anns/mps/math/mathlab/beg_algebra/beg_alg_tut9_bar.htm

It's fairly elementary, but explains a number of things.

Are you only having trouble with bar charts? Can you post the question /type of question that's giving you problems? Do you have the questions that go with the chart you posted?

Amy

[Daria]

Dear Amy!
Thanks a lot for suggesting this site. It was very helpful. I also realized how to train my sight in order to estimate value of a bar correctly: I use self-made graphs in Microsoft Excel

Thank you for your time!
Daria