Tally Chart Examples in Statistics

Start with the recap, study the fully worked examples, then use the practice problems to check your understanding of Tally Chart.

This page combines explanation, solved examples, and follow-up practice so you can move from recognition to confident problem-solving in Statistics.

Concept Recap

A tally chart is a simple way to record and count data using vertical strokes called tally marks. Every fifth mark is drawn diagonally across the previous four, making groups of five that are easy to count. For example, |||| represents 4 and ⧸|||| represents 5.

Tally charts are like counting on your fingers, but on paper. Every time something happens, you draw a line. Cross every fifth line to make counting by 5s easy - like bundling sticks.

Read the full concept explanation →

How to Use These Examples

  • Read the first worked example with the solution open so the structure is clear.
  • Try the practice problems before revealing each solution.
  • Use the related concepts and background knowledge badges if you feel stuck.

What to Focus On

Core idea: Tally marks are grouped in fives (four lines then a diagonal cross) so you can count by fives quickly. It is a live recording tool, not a final display.

Common stuck point: Students forget to count groups of five as 5 — they may count four marks in a group or misread the diagonal cross as a separate mark.

Sense of Study hint: When you need to record data as it happens, draw a table with categories in the left column and tally marks on the right. First, make one vertical stroke for each count. Then, on every fifth count, draw a diagonal line through the previous four strokes to form a bundle. Finally, count by fives plus leftover strokes to find each total.

Worked Examples

Example 1

easy
A class voted for their favourite colour. The tally marks show: Red |||| ||, Blue |||| , Green |||, Yellow |||| |||. How many votes did each colour receive?

Solution

  1. 1
    Step 1: Recall that in a tally chart, every group of five is shown as four vertical lines crossed by a diagonal line (||||), and remaining tallies are individual lines.
  2. 2
    Step 2: Count each colour: Red = 5 + 2 = 7, Blue = 5, Green = 3, Yellow = 5 + 3 = 8.
  3. 3
    Step 3: Total votes = 7 + 5 + 3 + 8 = 23.

Answer

Red: 7, Blue: 5, Green: 3, Yellow: 8. Total: 23 votes.
Tally charts use groups of five (four lines with a diagonal cross) to make counting easier. Each full group represents 5 and remaining lines are counted individually. This method reduces counting errors for large data sets.

Example 2

medium
A survey asked 30 people their favourite season. The results are: Spring 8, Summer 11, Autumn 6, Winter 5. Represent this data using tally marks and verify the total.

Example 3

medium
Students were asked their favorite color: Red (7), Blue (12), Green (5), Yellow (3). Create the tally marks and find what fraction chose Blue.

Practice Problems

Try these problems on your own first, then open the solution to compare your method.

Example 1

medium
A student's tally chart for types of vehicles passing the school shows: Cars |||| |||| |||| ||, Buses |||| |, Bicycles ||||, Trucks |||| |||. Convert this to a frequency table and find what fraction of the total vehicles were cars.

Example 2

hard
A tally chart records dice rolls. The tallies show: 1 (7 times), 2 (5 times), 3 (9 times), 4 (6 times), 5 (4 times), 6 (9 times). There were supposed to be 42 rolls total. Is the tally chart consistent? If a fair die were rolled 42 times, what would you expect each frequency to be?
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Related Concepts

Frequency TablePictograph