11+ Maths: Creating and Interpreting Bar Graphs (CEM & GL)
20 October 2026
Why bar graphs matter in 11+ Maths
Bar graphs are a common way to show and compare data in the 11+ exam. Children are often asked to create or interpret these graphs, so understanding them is a key skill for both CEM and GL papers.
How to create a bar graph
Start by collecting your data. For a simple bar graph, use categories and their values. Draw a horizontal axis for the categories and a vertical axis for the numbers. Label both axes clearly.
Mark equal spaces on the vertical axis for each unit.
Draw a bar for each category. The height of each bar matches the number for that category.
Worked example: books read by four children
Number of books read by four children:
Alice 5 Ben 3 Chloe 7 David 4
Draw the horizontal axis and label it with the names: Alice, Ben, Chloe, David.
Draw the vertical axis and label it from 0 up to 7.
Draw a bar above each name. Alice's bar reaches 5, Ben's bar reaches 3, Chloe's bar reaches 7, and David's bar reaches 4.
The correct answer is a bar graph with four bars at heights 5, 3, 7, and 4.
Tips for interpreting bar graphs
To read a bar graph, look at the height of each bar and match it to the scale on the vertical axis.
Compare the heights to see which category has the most or least.
Look for patterns or trends, such as which values are close together or much higher than others.
Key insight: Practising both creating and interpreting bar graphs helps children understand data more deeply. This builds confidence for 11+ questions that involve data handling.
Bar graph skills in 11+ preparation
Being able to create and interpret bar graphs is a practical skill that comes up often in the 11+ exam. Regular practice makes these questions much easier to tackle on test day.
