Geography Elective Skills

Name: ___________________________ ( ) Date: _____________

Class: ____________

DESCRIBING PATTERNS IN GRAPHS

Step 1: Identify the trend or pattern Point out overall trends ( Include data in your answer) Pick out specific or unique characteristics such as a sudden dip or increase. ( Include data in your answer, you can calculate % increase/decrease)

TREND VERBTo show a positive change rise

increase

To show a negative change dropfalldecreasedecline

To show a negative change quickly or suddenly

plummetplunge

Little change in data remain constant

To vary continuously between one level and another

fluctuate

To reach the highest point peak

ADJECTIVE HOW MUCH CHANGE?slight very smallsharp sudden, large changedramatic Sudden, very large changesteady an even changegradual a slow change over a long period of time

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Geography Elective Skills

An Example

With reference to Fig. 1, describe the changes in Singapore’s visitor arrivals between May 2009 and May 2010. [4m]

Fig 1

Source: http://www.thegovmonitor.com/world_news/asia/singapore-visitor-arrivals-up-by-30-3-for-may-2010-34625.html

Yearbook of Statistics Singapore

Suggested Answer

There has been an overall increase in visitor arrivals from May 2009 to May 2010 from 726,000 visitors to 946,000 visitors.

The greatest number of visitor arrivals was in December of 2009 with 972,000 visitors. This also represents the largest increase of 142,000 visitors from November 2009 to December 2009.

Over the one year period, Singapore received the lowest number of 726,000 visitors in May 2009. The smallest increase in the number of visitors was between April 2010 and May 2010 where there was an increase of only 7,000 visitors.

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Geography Elective Skills

Example

The graph below shows the international tourist arrivals from 1995 to 2010.

Reproduced by permission of World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Describe the trends in the international tourists arrivals from 1995 to 2010. [3m]

Suggested Answer

Overall, there is a rising trend of international tourist arrivals from 528 million in 1995 to 935 million in 2010. In year 2003, there was a 1.6% dip and in 2009, there was a 4% dip in international tourist arrivals.

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