Meaning & use
pie chart
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Meaning
nouncountable
A round graph divided into slices that shows how a whole amount is split into parts.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a pie chart' or 'three pie charts'.
Patterns
- a pie chart of something
- in a pie chart
- show something in a pie chart
The report uses a pie chart to show how the budget is divided.
In the pie chart, the largest slice represents housing costs.
Teachers often ask students to make a pie chart of their daily activities.
Word forms
| plural | pie charts |
|---|
Common combinations
- draw a pie chart
- We had to draw a pie chart for the class survey.
- a slice of the pie chart
- The blue slice of the pie chart shows spending on food.
- in the form of a pie chart
- The data is presented in the form of a pie chart.
- pie chart shows
- The pie chart shows the percentage of people who own pets.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pie graph
- A less common term with the same meaning; 'pie chart' is the usual choice in everyday and school contexts.
Commonly confused: pie chart or bar chart? pie chart or line graph?
pie chart vs bar chart
A bar chart uses rectangular bars to compare amounts, while a pie chart uses slices of a circle to show parts of a whole. They are different types of graph.
pie chart vs line graph
A line graph shows changes over time with a line, but a pie chart shows proportions at one point.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pie chart' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A pie chart is used to show parts of a whole, so it fits showing how a budget is divided. Option 1 is a bar chart's job because it compares separate groups; option 3 describes a table, not a chart; option 4 is a map.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pie chart”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.