WorkKeys Graphic Literacy flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Title of a graphic

The heading that states the subject and often the units of the entire display; it is read first to frame what every axis and label means.

Axis label

Text along an axis naming the quantity measured and its units, such as 'Month' or 'Sales (thousands of dollars)'; it governs how values are interpreted.

Legend or key

A panel mapping each color, pattern, or symbol in a graphic to the category it represents; every symbol used should appear in it.

Gridline increment

The fixed numeric step between consecutive gridlines on an axis; counting gridlines and multiplying by this step yields a value.

Table cell lookup

The value found at the intersection of a named row and a named column; the row label is located first, then the column.

Truncated axis

A vertical axis that begins above zero, which makes differences look larger than they are and prevents reading true ratios from bar length.

Interpolation

Estimating a value that lies between two labeled marks by judging its fractional distance across the interval on the scale.

Pictograph key value

The quantity each repeated symbol stands for, such as one icon equaling 25 units; total equals symbol count times that value.

Stacked bar segment

A portion of a stacked bar whose value is its top position minus its bottom position, not the top position alone.

Pie sector share

The fraction of the whole represented by a sector, equal to its central angle in degrees divided by 360.

Ranking from a graph

Ordering categories by reading each value against the same scale; equal readings are reported as ties rather than broken arbitrarily.

Mean from graphed values

The sum of all plotted values divided by the number of values; each value is read individually from the scale before summing.

Unit rate from a graph

A quantity divided by its corresponding horizontal-axis value, giving change per one unit of the horizontal measure.

Percent change formula

(New value minus old value) divided by the old value, then multiplied by 100; the old value is always the base.

Extending a linear trend

Projecting beyond the last plotted point by adding the constant change per interval observed across the existing data.

Slope as rate of change

On a line graph, steepness indicates how fast the vertical value changes per unit of horizontal value; a flat segment means no change.

Percent of a total

A portion computed as the percent divided by 100, multiplied by the total; the total is the base of the calculation.

Matching categories across sources

Combining values from two graphics only after confirming that category labels and time periods refer to the same thing.

Weighted average

The sum of each value multiplied by its weight, divided by the sum of the weights; used when groups differ in size.

Unit conversion before combining

Adjusting figures to a common unit, such as hours to minutes or thousands to units, before adding or comparing them.

Reconciling a stated total

Checking that summed parts equal the reported whole; a shortfall indicates an unlisted category such as 'other'.

Proportion applied to new base

A part-to-whole ratio taken from one table, then multiplied by a different total to estimate the corresponding part.

Correlation versus causation

Two variables moving together in a graph does not show that one causes the other; a third factor may drive both.

Misleading area scaling

Charts that enlarge symbols by area or use 3-D effects can overstate differences because area grows faster than the underlying value.

Validity of a projection

An extrapolated value is credible only if the stated trend or assumption holds; changing conditions invalidate the extension.

Generalizing a percentage

A percentage supports conclusions about a larger population only when the sample is representative and its size is adequate.

Recomputing a claim

Validating a stated figure by recalculating it directly from the graphic and comparing the result to the claim.

Percentage points versus percent

The gap between two percentages is measured in percentage points; a percent change instead divides by the starting percentage.

Schedule grid reading

A table where rows list people or resources and columns list time slots; the cell at their intersection holds the assignment.

Decision diamond in flowchart

A diamond-shaped node posing a yes-or-no condition, with two labeled arrows leaving it for the alternate outcomes.

Map scale bar

A marked segment on a map or plan whose labeled length converts measured distance on the drawing to real-world distance.

Line total on a spec table

Quantity multiplied by unit price for one line item; line totals are summed to produce the subtotal.