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Charts and diagrams

Charts and diagrams for Access to HE Media Studies: what it means, how to set the working out, and the questions it is asked in.
  • Access to HE
  • Media Studies
  • Spec A17 · A20 · A15
  • 12 min read
  • 10 revision boxes

Introduction

2 boxes
2 min read

What is charts and diagrams?

Listen to this box

Transcript

A short spoken summary of charts and diagrams and where it is used.

A spoken walk-through of charts and diagrams before you read the notes.
The specification wording is precise here, and the mark scheme follows that wording exactly.
4 rows

The charts and diagrams reference table

Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing charts and diagrams laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
Term
Meaning
Example
Row 1 column 1
Row 1 column 2
a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
Row 2 column 1
Row 2 column 2
a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2

Learning

6 boxes
4 steps

How to work with charts and diagrams

Check the answer against an estimate before you move on, so a place-value slip is caught here.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for charts and diagrams in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
Answer: ≈160\approx 160
2 rules

Key facts: Charts and diagrams

Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.

  • Rule 1

    How charts and diagrams behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left

  • Rule 2

    How charts and diagrams behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left
4 steps

How to work with charts and diagrams

The specification wording is precise here, and the mark scheme follows that wording exactly.
Worth knowing: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for charts and diagrams in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
  4. Check the answer against an estimate before writing it down.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7.
Answer: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
3 rules

Key facts: Charts and diagrams

Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing charts and diagrams laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.

  • Rule 1

    How charts and diagrams behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7

  • Rule 2

    How charts and diagrams behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
4 steps

How to work with charts and diagrams

Check the answer against an estimate before you move on, so a place-value slip is caught here.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing charts and diagrams laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for charts and diagrams in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: ≈160\approx 160.
Answer: ≈160\approx 160
2 rules

Key facts: Charts and diagrams

Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
Worth knowing: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0.

  • Rule 1

    How charts and diagrams behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7

  • Rule 2

    How charts and diagrams behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}

  • Rule 3

    How charts and diagrams behaves in the 3rd of the cases the specification names.
    a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2

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Examples

2 boxes
2 marks · worked

Worked example: charts and diagrams

Sketch the shape even when the question does not ask for one — it makes the next step obvious.
3 marks · worked

Practice question 10: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2

Sketch the shape even when the question does not ask for one — it makes the next step obvious.
Worth knowing: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2.

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Common questions

How many marks is charts and diagrams usually worth?
Between one and four, depending on how many steps the question asks for.
Is this on the Access to HE Media Studies paper?
Yes — it sits in the Systems and hardware strand.