How to explain reading scale diagrams in scale diagrams to your student
27 October 2026
Understanding how to read scale diagrams is an important skill for 11+ maths. Many questions use bar charts or similar diagrams to show information, so it's helpful for your child to feel confident with these.
This example will help your child practise reading the scale and matching it to the data shown. It uses a simple bar chart, like the ones often found in schoolwork and on sites such as maths.com uk.
Example question
A scale diagram shows the number of books read by children in a class. The scale on the vertical axis goes up in steps of 5, from 0 to 30. One bar reaches up to the 20 mark.
Step 1: Read the scale carefully. Each step is 5 books.
Step 2: Look at the height of the bar. It reaches the 20 mark on the scale.
Step 3: This means 20 books were read by that child.
Key insight: Always check what each step on the scale means before you answer.
The answer is 20 books.
After working through this example, your child should be able to spot what each step on a scale represents and use that to find the correct answer. Recognising the scale and reading the diagram accurately is a key part of many 11+ questions. Now your child is ready to try similar problems on their own.
