This document provides tips on how to read charts and graphs for the ACT science section. It discusses identifying the type of information presented in titles and legends. It emphasizes being able to determine both what a chart conveys as well as what information it does not include. Examples are given of different types of charts and how to interpret the data as well as limitations. Key points are to carefully examine all elements of a chart and think critically about what can and cannot be concluded from the visual representation.

1. ACT Science: How to read
charts and graphs
ACT Prep

2.  First- look at the title to find out what this pie chart shows
 Area of New York City by Boroughs
 This will let you know the TYPE of information you’re
looking at

3.  Next, you should be able to answer questions about this pie chart.
 What borough has the largest area?
 Queens
 What is the next largest area?
 Brooklyn

4.  What information is supplied in this chart?
 Survey of whether or not certain groups think video games
 How many people said yes
 How the survey was divided age group wise

5.  What information is NOT supplied in this chart?
 Why they think this
 What types of video games they meant
 Whether the people were male or female
 At what age the survey stopped teenager, adults, elderly

6. What information is in this chart?
 What contributes to
Greenhouse Gas
Emissions
 What gases make up
greenhouse gas
emissions
 Percentage for each

7. Reading Charts and Graphs
 You need to be able to identify the
information in the chart
 You should be able to use the information
to explain what is NOT in the chart. What
doesn’t it tell you?
 You should be able to use the information
to extrapolate information

8. Bar Chart
 What does this chart
show?
 Revenues by year
 What year had the
highest revenue?
 2006
 What year had the
lowest revenue?
 2008

9. Using charts to prove a hypothesis
 What hypothesis is
NOT supported by
this graph?
 Fertilizers make plants
grow taller than just
water
 This is not supported
because water and
Peters appear to affect
plants the same

10. What does this chart prove?
The higher the wind, and lower the
temperature, the faster you will get frostbite

11. Tips
 Pay attention to color coding, and labels
 Always read the title, and supplementary
information on the chart/graph
 Think of what the chart tells you, as well
as what it does not tell you
 Be careful of questions that include NOT
and EXCEPT