Data Interpretation · Topic 3 of 5

📊 Bar Graphs

1 exam question type, fully solved

A bar graph is a table drawn with heights: a taller bar means a bigger value. Read the heights off the axis, and the rest is ordinary DI.

Read the heights, then the usual moves

• Compare / extreme: tallest bar = maximum, shortest = minimum. For “how much more”, subtract the two heights.

• Ratio of two bars: write the two heights and cancel — e.g. .

• One bar as a percent of the total: .

• Growth / % change between two bars: , base = the earlier bar. A bigger jump in units is not always a bigger percent — always divide by each bar’s own starting value.

📊Chart Readerinteractive

Sales by Year (₹ Crore) — click a bar

Total₹258 Cr

Max₹70 Cr

Min₹28 Cr

Average₹51.6 Cr

DI Questions

Q1. Which year had the highest sales?

Q2. What is the percentage increase in sales from 2019 to 2023?

Q3. What fraction of total sales does 2020 represent? (Total = 258)

A bar grows from 42 to 70. The percentage rise is %.

Q1A bar rose from 42 (2019) to 70 (2022). The percentage increase is about:

Q2Two bars read 240 and 300. Their ratio is:

Q3Four bars total 100 and March is 30. March’s share of the total is:

📚

Real exam questions — Bar Graphs

1 question types · 4 solved examples from real SSC papers

A bar’s height is its value. Read the heights from the mini-table, then it is the same total / ratio / percent / growth work as any DI.

How to solve this type

A bar graph is a table drawn with heights — a taller bar means a bigger value, and that is all there is to reading one. Here we give you the heights as a small table so you can practise the maths that examiners test:

- Compare / extreme: tallest = max, shortest = min. For “how much more”, subtract the two heights.
- Ratio of two bars: write the two heights and cancel.
- One bar as a percent of the total:

\dfrac{\text{this bar}}{\text{sum of all bars}}\times100

.
- Growth / % change between two bars:

\dfrac{\text{new}-\text{old}}{\text{old}}\times100

, base = earlier bar.

A bar graph shows yearly sales (₹ crore). The bar heights are:

Year	Sales (₹ cr)
2019	42
2020	28
2021	56
2022	70

What is the percentage increase in sales from 2019 to 2022?

A28%B40%C66.7%D60%

A bar graph shows the number of cars produced by three plants:

Plant	Cars
A	240
B	180
C	300

What is the ratio of cars produced by Plant A to Plant C?

A3 : 4B4 : 5C5 : 6D2 : 3

A bar graph shows monthly profit (₹ lakh):

Month	Profit (₹ lakh)
Jan	20
Feb	25
Mar	30
Apr	25

What percent of the four-month total profit was earned in March?

A25%B30%C32%D28%

A double bar graph shows production of milk (thousand litres) in two years:

Plant	2010	2011
X	30	45
Y	20	25

For which plant was the percentage growth from 2010 to 2011 higher?

APlant Y, 25%BPlant X, 50%CPlant X, 15%DBoth equal