Learn the 3-Step Method
1The circle is the total.
All 24 pupils together make the full circle.
2Read slices as fractions.
Half the circle = 1/2 of the total; a quarter = 1/4.
3Convert to numbers.
Half of 24 = 12 walk; a quarter of 24 = 6 come by car.
Worked Example
A pie chart of 40 children's pets: half chose dogs, a quarter cats, the rest fish. How many chose each?
Watch Out! Common Mistakes
Wrong! Slices are FRACTIONS of the total: half of 24 pupils = 12 pupils.
Careful! A half-slice of 20 people (10) is fewer than a quarter-slice of 100 (25). Compare using the totals.
Check! All the parts must add back to the total: 20 + 10 + 10 = 40 ✓.
⬇ Cheat Sheet
- The full circle = the total surveyed.
- Read each slice as a fraction of the circle.
- Multiply: fraction × total = number.
- All parts must add back to the total.
Quick summary
- The whole circle represents the whole group surveyed.
- Each slice is a fraction of the total: half circle = half the people.
- Convert with fraction-of-amount: half of 24 = 12.
- Slices only compare fairly within the same chart (same total).
Frequently asked questions
How do you read a pie chart?
Treat each slice as a fraction of the whole circle, then find that fraction of the total: if 24 pupils were surveyed and walking is half the circle, 12 pupils walk.
Can you compare slices from two different pie charts?
Only by converting to numbers first — a big slice of a small survey can represent fewer people than a small slice of a large one.
What maths do pie charts rely on?
Fractions of amounts (and later percentages) — which is why our Fractions and Percentages guides pair well with this lesson.
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