Skip to content

Paper Together: sit a paper in a room with your friends.See how it works

Pictograms – GCSE Maths

Foundation · Grade 1

Jump to the questions and answers · Download the worksheet (PDF)

Read and draw pictograms using a key, including half-symbols, then find totals and missing frequencies. It is a Foundation topic, aimed at grade 1. Free questions with answers are on this page. Worked examples show each line before you try the questions.

A pictogram uses a picture to stand for a number of items. Always read the key: if one car symbol cars, then three and a half symbols cars. Half a symbol is half the key, not half a car unless the key says so.

A bar chart uses the height (or length) of each bar as the frequency. Bars must be the same width, with gaps between them for categorical data. The total frequency is the sum of the heights. Dual bars (boys/girls for the same category) are added to get the category total.

When you draw one, label both axes, write a title, and use a consistent scale that starts at zero unless a jagged-axis warning is shown.

Objectives

Key points

Worked examples

Example 1

In a pictogram each symbol stands for 2 books. A row shows 5 symbols. How many books?

2 marks

  1. Multiply 2 by 5.
  2. 2 × 5 = 10.
  3. The result is 10.

Answer: 10

Common slips
  • Slip: Add 2 to 5. That is a different operation, so it answers a different question.
  • Slip: 2 + 5 = 7. That uses addition, but this step needs multiplication.
  • Slip: The result is 14. That does not match the working above it.

Example 2

Each symbol stands for 10 cars. A row shows 3 whole symbols and 1 half symbol. How many cars?

3 marks

  1. 3 × 10 = 30.
  2. A half symbol is 10 ÷ 2 = 5.
  3. 30 + 5 = 35.

Answer: 35

Common slips
  • Slip: 3 + 10 = 13. Each whole symbol is a group of the key, so multiply.
  • Slip: A half symbol is worth 10. A half symbol is worth half the key, not the whole key.
  • Slip: 30 × 5 = 150. Add the half symbol to the whole symbols. Do not multiply.

Example 3

Each symbol stands for 4 pupils. Row A has 7 symbols and row B has 3 symbols. How many more pupils does row A show?

3 marks

  1. 7 − 3 = 4.
  2. 4 × 4 = 16.
  3. The result is 16.

Answer: 16

Common slips
  • Slip: 7 + 3 = 10. That uses addition, but this step needs subtraction.
  • Slip: 4 + 4 = 8. That uses addition, but this step needs multiplication.
  • Slip: The result is 20. That does not match the working above it.

Questions and answers

GCSE Maths pictograms questions and answers. Try each one, then open the answer. Easy questions come first.

Question 1 Easy2 marks

In a pictogram each symbol stands for 5 cakes. A row shows 4 symbols. How many cakes?

Show answer

Answer: 20

  1. 5 × 4 = 20.
  2. The result is 20.
  • M1 — 5 × 4 = 20.
  • A1 — Answer 20

Question 2 Easy2 marks

In a pictogram each symbol stands for 10 goals. A row shows 6 symbols. How many goals?

Show answer

Answer: 60

  1. 10 × 6 = 60.
  2. The result is 60.
  • M1 — 10 × 6 = 60.
  • A1 — Answer 60

Question 3 Medium2 marks

Each symbol stands for 4 stickers. A row shows 5 whole symbols and 1 half symbol. How many stickers?

Show answer

Answer: 22

  1. 5 × 4 = 20.
  2. A half symbol is 4 ÷ 2 = 2.
  • M1 — 5 × 4 = 20.
  • A1 — Answer 22

Question 4 Medium2 marks

Each symbol stands for 5 books. There are 35 books to show. How many symbols are needed?

Show answer

Answer: 7

  1. 35 ÷ 5 = 7.
  2. The result is 7.
  • M1 — 35 ÷ 5 = 7.
  • A1 — Answer 7

Question 5 Hard2 marks

Each symbol stands for 5 cakes. Row A has 8 symbols and row B has 3 symbols. How many more cakes does row A show?

Show answer

Answer: 25

  1. 8 − 3 = 5.
  2. 5 × 5 = 25.
  • M1 — 8 − 3 = 5.
  • A1 — Answer 25

Question 6 Hard2 marks

Each symbol stands for 6 goals. A row shows 4 whole symbols and 1 half symbol. How many goals?

Show answer

Answer: 27

  1. 4 × 6 = 24.
  2. A half symbol is 6 ÷ 2 = 3.
  • M1 — 4 × 6 = 24.
  • A1 — Answer 27

Question 7 Exam-style3 marks

Each symbol stands for 8 stickers. Class A has 4 whole symbols and 1 half symbol. Class B has 3 whole symbols. How many stickers are shown altogether?

Show answer

Answer: 60

  1. Class A: 4 × 8 + 4 = 36.
  2. Class B: 3 × 8 = 24.
  3. 36 + 24 = 60.
  • M1 — Class A: 4 × 8 + 4 = 36.
  • M1 — Class B: 3 × 8 = 24.
  • A1 — Answer 60

Common mistakes

Most lost marks on this topic are one slip.

  1. Counting symbols and forgetting the key.

    Multiply the number of symbols by what one symbol is worth.

  2. Treating half a symbol as a whole one.

    Half a symbol is half the key.

  3. Comparing rows that use different keys.

    Convert both rows to the real amounts first.

Spot the slip

If one symbol stands for 2 apples, how many apples do 3 symbols stand for?

  1. 6
  2. 5
  3. 3
Show the slip

6 Three groups of 2 is 6.

Exam tips

Printable worksheet

The same questions are in a PDF you can print. Answers start on a later page.

Download worksheet (PDF)

Or use Print in your browser. Answers under each question are included when you print.

Questions students ask

Is Pictograms Foundation or Higher?

Pictograms is Foundation, aimed at grade 1.

What is a common slip on Pictograms?

Counting symbols and forgetting the key. Multiply the number of symbols by what one symbol is worth.

Where can I get Pictograms questions and answers?

The questions on this page are free. Open Show answer under each one, or download the worksheet PDF. Start free to practise this topic in the app.

Related topics

More on Pictograms

Practise Pictograms free

Start free

AQA-style and Edexcel-style questions. Yumio is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to AQA, Pearson Edexcel or any other exam board.

Last updated 9 November 2026.

Next topicPractise free