Skip to content
VirtusAcademy

Line Graphs

FoundationChallengeAQAEdexcelOCR

This free Foundation GCSE Maths worksheet on line graphs helps you revise drawing and interpreting line graphs. Questions build from straightforward to exam standard, with full worked answers in the mark scheme — ideal for revision or homework. Suitable for AQA, Edexcel and OCR. Line graphs are best for showing change over time.

Free downloads

These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

WorksheetFoundation · PDFMark SchemeFoundation · PDF

Challenge / Extension

Stretch yourself beyond the basics.

WorksheetChallenge · PDFMark SchemeChallenge · PDF

Topic overview

A line graph plots points and joins them with straight lines, usually to show how a quantity changes over time.

Time goes on the horizontal axis and the measured quantity on the vertical. Joining the points shows the trend, and the steepness between two points shows how quickly the value was changing.

Line graphs suit continuous data over time, such as temperature or sales. They are not appropriate for separate categories, where a bar chart is the correct choice, since joining unrelated categories would imply a change that does not exist.

Revision notes

Plotting and joining

Plot each point against its time value, then join consecutive points with straight lines.

Use a ruler and make sure the scale on each axis is even. Label both axes with the quantity and its units.

Reading trends

A rising line means the quantity is increasing, and a steeper line means it is changing faster.

A flat section means no change. Describing the trend in words, with reference to the context, is what most questions require.

When to use one

Line graphs suit data measured over time, where the values between the plotted points are meaningful.

For separate categories such as favourite sports, a bar chart is correct, because there is nothing meaningful between the categories.

Key points

  • Line graphs show change over time.
  • Time goes on the horizontal axis.
  • Points are joined with straight lines.
  • A steeper line means faster change.
  • A flat section means no change.
  • Use a bar chart for separate categories.

Worked examples

Example 1

A line graph rises steeply between two points. What does this show?

Working

\[\text{A rising line means an increase}\]interpret the direction
\[\text{Steeper means a faster increase}\]interpret the steepness

Example 2

A line graph is flat between Monday and Tuesday. What does this show?

Working

\[\text{No change in the quantity}\]a flat line means the value stayed the same

Example 3

Why is a line graph unsuitable for favourite colours?

Working

\[\text{The categories are separate}\]there is nothing between them
\[\text{A bar chart should be used}\]joining them would be meaningless

Common mistakes

  • Using a line graph for categorical data.

    Joining separate categories implies a change between them that does not exist.

  • Using an uneven scale.

    Both axes must increase in equal steps or the trend is distorted.

  • Joining points with a curve.

    Use straight lines between consecutive points unless told otherwise.

  • Describing the trend without context.

    Say what is increasing, not just that the line goes up.

Exam tips

  • Put time on the horizontal axis.
  • Use a ruler to join consecutive points.
  • Label both axes with quantities and units.
  • Describe trends in the words of the question.

Key terms

Line graph
A graph showing change over time.
Trend
The general direction of the data.
Continuous data
Data that can take any value in a range.
Axis
A reference line on a graph.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications. Spotted an error? Let us know.