How to see it
A two-way table sorts people by two things at once. The row says one thing, the column says another, and each cell is people who are both. Add across for a row total, down for a column total. The total in the corner is the grand total. To compare two data sets, use one average and one spread: the mean and the range.
A worked example
Girls who take the bus: row Girls, column Bus, 6. How many walk altogether? 9 plus 14, 23. What fraction of the girls take the bus? 6 out of 20, three tenths.
The common mistake: reading the wrong row or column
The trap is reading the wrong row or column, or answering "how many girls" with the girls who take the bus. Say the question in two parts: which row, which column.
Try one
From the table: how many children take the bus altogether?
- A6
- B11
- C17
- D23
Show the answerHide the answer
Right: C, 17
11 boys plus 6 girls.