← Years 5–6 Data & Information

Chart titles, axis labels and legends

The parts that help a viewer read a chart: the title says the topic, axis labels name the data and units, the legend explains colours.

Part of: 5-6 Digital Technologies Vic Curric - Data, Information and Privacy — Module 35, VCE Applied Computing - U1O1 - Data analysis — Module 65, VCE Data Analytics - U3O1 - Data Analytics — Module 116, VCE Data Analytics - U4O1 - Development and Evaluation — Module 68, 7-8 Digital Technologies: Analysing and visualising data — Module 23, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Analysing and visualising data — Module 6, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Analysing and Visualising Data — Module 44, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Analysing and Visualising Data — Module 34

Understanding Chart titles, axis labels and legends in Years 5–6 Data & Information

What it does: The axis title says what is measured (distance jumped) and the unit in brackets (cm). Two groups are shown in different colours, so the legend explains which colour is which group. A good axis label names the data and includes the units, such as metres. Axis labels name the data on each axis, so the viewer can read the chart correctly. Units tell the viewer how the data was measured. 'Temperature (°C)' is clearer. A clear title describes the topic. 'Chart 1' tells the viewer nothing. The legend matches colours to categories. Pie charts have no axes. Units belong in the axis title so the numbers on the axis can be understood.

Common mistakes: The types of pet are the categories along the bottom, so they belong on the x axis. The line should be chart.x_label("Type of pet"). The y axis label should name the count. The axis label has no unit, so a viewer cannot tell how the rain was measured. It should include the unit, like chart.y_label("Rain (mm)").

Class: _____________________ · Name: _____________________ · Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 31–56) and word search (Modules 21–56).

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Learning

Duo

What does a chart title tell the viewer?

The topic of the chartThe colour of every bar

Matches

Y axis title: Time (no unit given)

↓

The axis title leaves out the unit, so the viewer cannot tell if the time is in seconds, minutes or hours. Fix it by writing Time (seconds).

Applying

Meanings

Term

Title, axis labels and legend

Meaning

The parts that help a viewer read a chart: the title says the topic, axis labels name the data and units, the legend explains colours.

Practice

Title: Favourite Pets in Years 5 and 6

Testing

Gaps

chart. = "Favourite Pets in Year 5"

Check Answer

Spots

2chart.title("Pets in class")

3chart.y_label("Type of pet")

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Quick Questions

1. What does a chart title tell the viewer?

A. The colour of every bar

B. The topic of the chart ✓

A title says what the chart is about, like 'Favourite Pets in Year 5'.

2. Which axis label is better for a column chart showing how far students walk?

A. Distance walked (metres) ✓

B. Numbers

A good axis label names the data and includes the units, such as metres.

3. A line chart has two coloured lines, one for Class 5A and one for Class 5B. What do you need so the viewer knows which line is which?

A. A legend ✓

B. A longer title

A legend explains what each colour or line stands for.

4. True or false: Axis labels help the viewer know what each axis shows.

A. True ✓

B. False

Axis labels name the data on each axis, so the viewer can read the chart correctly.

5. A chart shows temperature, but the vertical axis just says 'Temperature'. What is missing?

A. A different chart type

B. The units, like degrees Celsius (°C) ✓

Units tell the viewer how the data was measured. 'Temperature (°C)' is clearer.

Match the Pairs

Chart title: Pets in Year 5 (number of students) → The title tells the viewer what topic the chart is about.

Legend: blue = Year 5, orange = Year 6 → The legend explains what each colour or symbol in the chart stands for.

An axis title names the data on that axis and gives its units so the viewer knows what is measured. → Y axis title: Distance jumped (cm)

A chart with more than one data series needs a legend so the viewer can tell the series apart. → Legend: Girls = green, Boys = purple

Y axis title: Time (no unit given) → The axis title leaves out the unit, so the viewer cannot tell if the time is in seconds, minutes or hours. Fix it by writing Time (seconds).

Chart with red and blue bars but no legend → Without a legend the viewer cannot tell what the red and blue bars stand for. Fix it by adding a legend that names each colour.

Key Term

Title, axis labels and legend

The parts that help a viewer read a chart: the title says the topic, axis labels name the data and units, the legend explains colours.

Fill in the Blanks

1. chart.title = "Favourite Pets in Year 5"

Hint: Type the chart part that tells the viewer the topic of the chart.

2. chart.xAxisTitle = "Type of pet"

Hint: Type the property that labels the horizontal axis.

3. chart.title = "Time Spent Reading" chart.yAxisTitle = "Time (minutes)"

Hint: Type the property that labels the vertical axis and shows its unit.

4. chart.addSeries("Boys", "blue") chart.addSeries("Girls", "red") chart.legend = True

Hint: Type the chart part that explains what each colour means.

5. chart.addSeries("Cats", "orange") chart.addSeries("Dogs", "green") chart.legend = True

Hint: Type the value that switches the legend on when a chart has more than one colour.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A chart = new_chart("bar")

B chart.title("Pets in class")

C chart.y_label("Type of pet")

D chart.y_label("Pets (count)")

Line C — The types of pet are the categories along the bottom, so they belong on the x axis. The line should be chart.x_label("Type of pet"). The y axis label should name the count.

Question 2

A chart = new_chart("line")

B chart.title("Weekly rainfall")

C chart.x_label("Week")

D chart.y_label("Rain")

E chart.show()

Line D — The axis label has no unit, so a viewer cannot tell how the rain was measured. It should include the unit, like chart.y_label("Rain (mm)").

Question 3

A chart = new_chart("column")

B chart.title(Hours of sleep)

C chart.x_label("Student")

D chart.y_label("Sleep (hours)")

Line B — The title text is missing its quote marks, so the code is broken. It should be chart.title("Hours of sleep").

Question 4

A chart = new_chart("pie")

B chart.title("Favourite fruit")

C chart.add_data(fruit_votes)

D chart.hide_legend()

E chart.show()

Line D — A pie chart uses different colours for each slice. Without a legend the viewer cannot tell which colour means which fruit. It should be chart.show_legend().

Question 5

A chrt = new_chart("bar")

B chart.title("Cars at school")

C chart.x_label("Day")

D chart.y_label("Cars (count)")

Line A — The variable name is misspelt as chrt. The later lines use chart, so the program would fail. It should be chart = new_chart("bar").

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