Contextualization

Sector graphs, also known as pie charts or doughnut charts, are graphical representations of numerical data in a circular shape. Each category is represented by a slice of the pizza whose angular amplitude is proportional to the absolute value of the category in relation to the total data. In this way, we can visually represent the proportion of each category in relation to the total data set.

The importance of sector graphs lies in the fact that they are a powerful tool for data visualization. They are used by data scientists, economists, geographers, physicians and many other professionals who need to communicate complex information in an easy-to-understand way. Basically, they transform numbers into images.

The use of sector graphs is widespread in several areas. For example, as a communication tool in business and economics to show the distribution of costs, revenues and profits. They are also used in social sciences to illustrate demographic data, such as the division of a population by age or sex. In addition, we can find them in government reports, magazines, newspapers and news programs to demonstrate statistics and trends.

For this project, we suggest consulting the following resources:

1. Khan Academy: An excellent learning platform that has a section dedicated to mathematics, including sector graphs. The content is easy to understand and is presented in a didactic and fun way. Available at: https://www.khanacademy.org/math

2. Book "Mathematics and its Technologies", by Claudio Marques. This book covers various areas of mathematics, including sector graphs, and presents numerous practical examples. Available at all good bookstores.

3. Só Matemática website: This website is a reference in mathematics content. It has several articles, exercises and videos that can help to understand and deepen the knowledge in sector graphs. Available at: https://www.somatematica.com.br

Practical Activity: "Mathematics around the world"

Project Objective

Our goal is to put into practice the use of sector/pie charts to analyze and represent data obtained from official sources on socioeconomic indicators of different countries. The idea is not only to learn how to create a sector graph, but also to interpret and analyze the data from a critical perspective.

Detailed Description of the Project

Each group of 3 to 5 students will choose 5 different countries around the world and research data on 3 socioeconomic indicators of their choice (such as population, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), distribution of population by gender, literacy rate, etc.). This data will then be visually represented through sector graphs.

Required Materials

• Computers with internet access for data research.
• Graph paper or graphing software (e.g., Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or some free online graphing software).
• Pens of various colors (if the graph is handmade).

Step by Step to Carry Out the Activity

1. Do an internet search and collect data on the 3 socioeconomic indicators of the 5 countries chosen. Make sure that the data is recent and has been obtained from reliable sources.
2. Use the data collected to create sector graphs, representing each indicator for each country.
3. Analyze and interpret the graphs created. What do they reveal about each country? What differences and similarities can you identify?
4. Prepare a presentation of your work. In addition to showing the graphs created, the presentation should explain how the data collection process, the choice of indicators and the decision to represent them in a sector graph were made. In addition, it should include a discussion of the conclusions drawn from the analysis of the graphs.

Project Deliverables and Connection with the Practical Activity

Students must prepare two deliverables for this project:

1. Project Presentation: A visual presentation of the graphs created and an explanation of the process and findings. The presentation should be given in class so that everyone can learn from the results of each group.

2. Written Report: A written report detailing the work done. The report should contain the following topics:

   • Introduction: Includes the choice of countries, socioeconomic indicators, the reason for this choice, and the importance of sector graphs.
   • Development: Describes the process of research and data collection, the creation of the graphs, and the interpretation of the results. Here, students should discuss the effectiveness of sector graphs in representing the data collected.
   • Conclusion: Students should revisit their main points, discuss what they learned, and draw conclusions about the project.
   • Bibliography: Include references to websites, books and other resources used to collect data and carry out the project.

The practical activity and the written document should go hand in hand. What was learned and discovered during the practical part should be carefully detailed and discussed in the written report. The written report will serve as a permanent record of the work done by the students.