Unit 20: Reading, Interpreting and Understanding
Information In Tables, Charts and Graphs
Section A: Information displayed in tables
Information is often displayed in tables and charts for people to read to retrieve various bits of information. This is
common in day-to-day activities such as timetables for buses and trains, viewing sales figures for different products or
the results of a questionnaire.
In the automotive industry, tables are often used to record test results or to compare performance data of vehicle
components, materials and machines. Have a look at the table below, relating to accidents reported to the Health and
Safety Executive, and answer the questions that follow.
The table shows typical stopping distances included in the Highway code.
Speed (mph)
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Thinking distance (m)
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
Braking distance (m)
6
14
24
38
54
75
96
12
23
36
53
72
96
120
Total stopping distance (m)
QUESTION 1
QUESTION 3
How many categories of speeds are shown in the
table?
Describe the relationship between the speed and the
total stopping distance?
Answer:
Answer:
7
As the speed increases the total stopping distance increases.
QUESTION 2
QUESTION 4
How is the total stopping distance calculated?
By how much does the total stopping distance increase
between 20mph and 80mph? Record your answer as a
percentage.
Answer:
Thinking distance + braking distance.
Answer:
90%
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Section B: Information displayed in charts
Similar to the use of tables, charts provide a graphical and simplified view of what can sometimes represent a large
amount of information, or data.
Using the data from the stopping distances table in Section A, draw a column chart to compare the relationship
between the speed (mph) and the total stopping distance (m) using the grid below.
Unit 20: Reading, interpreting and understanding information In tables, charts and graphs CLU-AUTOMOTIVE-12-1003.indd 59
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