Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Misleading Graphs: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 9
- ForYear 9
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Misleading Graphs is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14) in Key Stage 3. Children learn to spot the tricks that can make a graph give the wrong impression, by looking closely at axes, scales and labels. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
The sheet has numbered questions with space to answer. Children meet graphs with problems in how they are drawn. These include a bar chart axis that starts at 50, a line graph with no labels, a pie chart whose slices add up to more than 100 percent, uneven steps on a scale, a 3D chart and a graph that shows only the last three weeks of data.
- A bar chart axis starts at 50, not 0.
- A line graph has no labels on either axis.
- A pie chart's slices add up to more than 100 percent.
- The scale on one axis goes up in uneven steps.
- A 3D chart makes the front bars look bigger.
- Only the last three weeks of data are shown.
Why graphs can mislead
A graph turns numbers into a picture, and a picture is quick to read. That is why graphs are so useful, and also why the way they are drawn matters. The numbers behind a graph can be correct while the picture still leaves a reader with the wrong idea. Choices about the axes, the scale, the labels and the period shown all affect what people notice first.
Graphs appear in news stories, adverts, sports reports and social media. Year 9 learners are old enough to question them. A good habit is to ask who made the graph and what they want you to believe. Once children can see how a graph might be shaped to persuade, they can also describe how to draw one that is fair.
Skills and curriculum link
- Reading graphs carefully
- Statistics
- Critical thinking
- Axes and scales
- Spotting bias
- Explaining reasoning
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Maths | Statistics | Year 9 |
What children will be able to do
- I can spot when a graph is misleading.
- I can look at axes, scales and labels.
- I can say how to make a graph fair.
Ideas that help with misleading graphs
- Look at the axes firstBefore reading the shapes, read what each axis shows and where its numbers begin and end. The axes tell you how to read everything else.
- Check the labelsA graph needs a title and labels that say what is being measured and in which units. Without them, a reader has to guess.
- Think about the scaleThe numbers along an axis can be spaced in different ways. Check that the spacing makes sense before you compare anything by eye.
- Ask what is left outA graph shows only the data its maker chose. Ask whether more data exists and whether it would change the picture.
Key words
- AxisA line on a graph marked with numbers or categories. A graph usually has a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.
- ScaleThe numbers marked along an axis, and the steps between them.
- LabelWords that say what an axis, a bar, a line or a slice shows.
- DataFacts or numbers that have been collected, such as measurements or survey results.
- MisleadingGiving a wrong idea, even when the numbers used are true.
- BiasA leaning towards one view that makes a picture or a story less fair.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Before starting, ask: who made this graph and what do they want you to believe?
- Work through the first questions together. Talk about each choice and ask why.
- Let your child try the rest alone, then check against the notes and answers on page 2.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Sketch each graph to see the problem. Draw it quickly on scrap paper, then redraw it a different way and compare the two. Say out loud what you notice first in each picture. Start with the graphs you find easiest and come back to the harder ones later.
To stretch confident children
Find a real graph in a newspaper, advert or online article. Write a short note about how it could mislead a reader and which part of the graph causes it. Then say how you would redraw it so that it is fair.
Make it a game
Make a deliberately misleading graph from a small set of data, such as pocket money or team scores. Swap it with a friend and ask them to spot the trick. Then swap roles and see who can find the trick faster.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child reads the shape of a graph and ignores the axes.
Try thisCover the shape and read the axes aloud first. Ask what is being measured and where each scale starts and stops.
Watch forA child says a graph is wrong when the numbers are actually true.
Try thisExplain that a graph can be accurate in its numbers and still mislead. Ask what impression the picture gives and whether it matches the data.
Watch forA child spots a trick but cannot say how to fix it.
Try thisAsk them to sketch a fair version. Look at which part changes, such as the labels, the scale or the amount of data shown.
Talk about it
- Where have you seen a graph in the news or in an advert?
- What do you notice first when you look at a graph?
- Why might someone choose to draw a graph in a certain way?
- What would you want to know before trusting a graph?
- Can a graph be misleading even if every number in it is true?
- How would you explain a fair graph to a younger child?
Take it off the page
Graph hunt
Look through newspapers, magazines or leaflets for graphs. Cut them out and sort them into ones that look fair and ones that might mislead. Explain each choice.
Draw it two ways
Collect a small set of data, such as the number of steps walked each day. Draw it on paper in two different styles and compare how each one looks.
Spot the missing label
Draw a simple graph and leave off a title or a label. Ask a family member what they think it shows, then add the label and see if their idea changes.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first few questions, then let them lead. Ask them to explain the problem in their own words. You do not need to be a statistics expert, as the answers and notes on page 2 will guide you.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Ask pupils to give reasons, not just answers, and use the stretch idea for those who finish early.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan. It pairs well with real newspapers, sports tables and household data. Ask your learner to draw a graph of their own afterwards, and reprint the sheet later for revision or for a sibling.
Where this fits
Before this, children read and draw bar charts, line graphs and pie charts, and work with averages. This sheet builds on that by asking them to question a graph instead of just reading it.
After this, learners can move on to further work on handling data in Key Stage 3, and then to statistics in Key Stage 4. Being able to judge how a graph is drawn helps them in maths, in other subjects and in everyday life.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What looks odd about this axis?
- How could the scale change what people think?
- How would you redraw this graph to be fair?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Misleading Graphs for?
It is written for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14) in Key Stage 3. Younger learners who are confident with charts can try it with help, and older learners can use it as a quick refresher.
- What will children practise?
They practise spotting how graphs can mislead through axes, scales and labels. They also practise explaining their reasoning, which is a key part of critical thinking in statistics.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. Ask who made the graph and what they want you to believe. Work through the first questions together, then check using page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Try sketching each graph to see the problem. Redrawing a graph in a different way often makes the issue clear. Start with the questions that feel easiest and return to the others later.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision a few weeks later.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Working by hand gives eyes a rest and encourages children to talk through their thinking.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. The graphs are described and questioned through their features, so colour is not needed to complete the sheet.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.