Reading and interpreting pictograms where each symbol represents multiple items, using the key to find values.
Where your child meets this in real life: Understanding infographics, simple data displays in newspapers or reports
Each SEAG paper has 28 maths questions. Questions 29 to 50 are multiple choice with five possible answers, and questions 51 to 56 need a short written answer. With 56 questions in 60 minutes across English and maths, that is about a minute per question.
SEAGReady breaks read pictograms into 2 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Read pictogram values by counting symbols and multiplying by the key value
Interpret half symbols in pictograms to find values (e.g., half a symbol = half the key value)
Try three free questions from our read pictograms course. They start easy and get harder, so you can see where your child's confidence runs out. If they manage the last one without a hint, this topic is probably secure. If not, the steps above show where to start.
The pictogram shows stickers earned by table groups in a class. How many stickers did Table 1 earn?
A walking club recorded distances in a pictogram. How many kilometres did Millie walk?
The pictogram shows ice creams sold at a visitor centre. How many more were sold on Saturday than on Sunday?
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
A class made a pictogram showing how many books each group read during a reading challenge.
The key shows 1 book symbol = 5 books. Group A has 4 book symbols. How many books did Group A read?
4 × 5
Find what each symbol represents
Step 1 of 4
A class made a pictogram showing how many books each group read during a reading challenge.
The key shows 1 book symbol = 5 books. Group A has 4 book symbols. How many books did Group A read?
Group A read 20 books.
The key insight: Always read the key first - one symbol often means more than one item!
Common mix-up: 4 books. Counting symbols without using the key - each symbol represents 5 books, not 1.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in read pictograms, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Sitting the SEAG test this November? Read our last-month revision plan, Paper 1 vs Paper 2 and test day guide.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.
Free to start · no card needed