Concept 3 of 9
The Pictograph: Pictures That Count
Today's big idea
One picture stands for a fixed number of things, and the key is where that number is.
One picture stands for many, so multiply the count by the key, never by one.
How it works
👀 What's going on?
A poster shows five apple pictures beside a village name. That village did not grow five apples. Down in the corner, small print says what one apple picture is worth.
💡 Here's the trick
Each picture stands for a fixed number of real things, and the key is what tells you that number. Counting pictures only gives you how many symbols are drawn, never how many real things there are. Multiply the count by the key to get the real total.
🪄 How to do it
- 1.Read the key beside the picture above to find what one symbol is worth.
- 2.Count the symbols in the row you need.
- 3.Multiply that count by the key.
✍️ Try it
The key says one tree picture stands for 4 real trees. What do 3 tree pictures mean? What do 7 tree pictures mean?
Three pictures are 3 times 4, which is 12 trees. Seven pictures are 7 times 4, which is 28 trees.
⚠️ Watch out
The number of pictures is never the answer on its own. Forget the key and you will answer 3 where the truth is 12, and that smaller number is always offered as one of the choices.
🌟 Why this matters
Newspapers use pictographs because a row of little figures reads faster than a column of digits. Posters at a railway station and charts on a classroom wall do the same job.
Exam tip: Underline the key before you look at any row, because half a symbol means half the key and that is where marks quietly go missing.
Watch me solve one
Quanta solves it
“Watch how I think through one of these — then you try.”
THE PROBLEM
“Key: 1 🍎 = 4 apples. The chart shows 6 🍎. How many apples?”
- 1
Read the KEY first
Each picture stands for 4 real apples.
- 2
Count the pictures
The chart shows 6 🍎 icons.
- 3
Multiply
6 × 4 = 24
- 4
Total ✓
24 apples
Now you try one — same steps, different story 👇
See it in action
⚡ Time to play!
Read the KEY first, then count the pictures and MULTIPLY.
THE KEY · ROUND 1 OF 3
1 🍎 = 5 fruits
The Chart
4 🍎 × 5 = ?
Your turn: 4 × 5 = ?
Quick check
✅ VERIFICATION
The key says 1 football picture = 4 balls. A team owns 28 balls. How many football pictures should its row show?
⚡ Finish the activity above first to answer.
Keep going!
Up next: The Bar Graph
Tallest = most. Shortest = least. Easy.