When we want to find out something, like which fruit our class likes best, we collect data. A quick way to count is with tally marks.
Why this matters: Tallies help you count things fast without losing your place. Shopkeepers, football coaches and scientists all count this way every day.
Tally marks and the gate of five
Each thing you count gets one little line: |, ||, |||, ||||. When you reach five, you draw the fifth line straight across the other four, like a gate. This bundle of five is easy to count.
| Tally | Number |
|---|---|
| | | 1 |
| |||| | 4 |
| |||| (gate) | 5 |
| |||| || | 7 |
From tally to frequency table
A frequency table shows the total for each thing. "Frequency" just means how many times something happens. Here is what Year 3 chose as their favourite fruit.
| Fruit | Tally | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | |||| ||| | 8 |
| Banana | |||| | 5 |
| Grapes | |||| | 4 |
| Orange | ||| | 3 |
To find how many children there were altogether, add the frequencies: 8 + 5 + 4 + 3 = 20 children.
The apple bar is longest, so apple is the most popular fruit.
Put these fruits in order, fewest votes first:
- Orange (3)
- Grapes (4)
- Banana (5)
- Apple (8)