Key Geography Skills

CLIMATE GRAPHS

Climate Graphs comprised of two key components

1. Bar Graph

2 . Line Graph

Bar GraphUsed to compare one thing with something else

Totals of one item over time

Totals of different items within a range of items

Simple Bar Graph

e.g. total amount of rain month by month over a year

How to construct a simple Bar Graph

Horizontal axis shows basic units, e.g. months of the year.

Vertical axis shows measured units, e.g. Rainfall.

The scale for the bars usually begins at zero, since the lengths of the bar shows totals.

Keep the width of each bar constant across the graph.

Label the graph and its axes clearly.

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TOTAL MONTHLY RAINFALL

RAINFALL

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Line Graph

Show continuous change over time.

They use continuous data and they show trends.

Line graphs can be simple (showing one feature) or multiple (showing many features).

They can be drawn as curves, or as points joined by straight lines.

How to construct a simple Line Graph

Horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents the measured units.

Mark the minimum value at the base of the vertical scale. Extend it slightly higher than the maximum value of the data.

Select a suitable scale for the graph so that it does not give a false impression of the data

Plot each point as a neat dot or small cross in the middle of the column.

Join the points with lines or a curve.

Give the graph a clear title.

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Monthly Temperature in º C

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Climate GraphA Climate Graph combines a line graph with a bar graph.

The common unit (months) remain on the horizontal axis.

The measured units are placed on the vertical axes.

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Temperature

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CLIMATE GRAPH