Using Data

The OCR GCSE PE (J587) specification requires you to interpret, analyse, and present data. Data questions appear in both Component 01 and Component 02 and can be worth between 1 and 6 marks. Being confident with tables, graphs, and charts is essential — data questions are some of the most accessible marks on the paper if you know what to do, but they are also where students lose marks through careless reading.

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Why Data Questions Appear in PE

Physical education generates a large amount of measurable data — heart rates, fitness test scores, participation statistics, performance times, and nutritional values. OCR expects you to be able to:

1. Read data from tables, bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts
2. Interpret what the data shows — identify trends, patterns, and anomalies
3. Calculate simple values (e.g. averages, differences, percentages)
4. Present data in an appropriate format
5. Draw conclusions from data and link them to your PE knowledge

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Reading Tables

Tables are the most common way data is presented in OCR GCSE PE papers.

How to Read a Table Accurately

Step	What to Do	Why
1	Read the title of the table	Tells you what the data is about
2	Read the column and row headings	Tells you what each row and column represents
3	Check the units	Are values in beats per minute, seconds, kilograms, percentages?
4	Look for the specific data the question asks about	Do not guess — read the exact cell
5	Look for patterns and trends	Is the data increasing, decreasing, staying the same?

Example Table: Fitness Test Results

Performer	Multi-Stage Fitness Test (Level)	Sit and Reach (cm)	Hand Grip Dynamometer (kg)	Illinois Agility Test (seconds)
Amy	8.4	32	28	18.2
Beth	11.2	18	35	15.8
Claire	6.1	38	22	22.5

From this table, you can identify:

• Beth has the best cardiovascular endurance (highest multi-stage fitness test level)
• Claire has the best flexibility (highest sit and reach score)
• Beth has the best muscular strength (highest hand grip dynamometer score)
• Beth has the best agility (lowest Illinois agility test time — lower is better)
• Claire has the lowest cardiovascular endurance and agility

Exam Tip: Always check whether a higher number or a lower number is "better" for each test. For the multi-stage fitness test, higher is better. For the Illinois agility test, lower is better (it is measured in time — quicker is more agile). Getting this the wrong way round is a common and costly mistake.

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Reading Line Graphs

Line graphs show how a variable changes over time or in response to another variable.

How to Read a Line Graph

Step	What to Do	Example
1	Read the title	"Heart rate during exercise and recovery"
2	Read the axes	X-axis: time (minutes). Y-axis: heart rate (bpm)
3	Identify the trend	Heart rate increases during exercise, then decreases during recovery
4	Read specific values	At 5 minutes, heart rate was approximately 140 bpm
5	Look for key features	A plateau during steady-state exercise; a sharp drop when exercise stops

Key Vocabulary for Describing Line Graphs

Term	When to Use It
Increase / rise	The line goes up from left to right
Decrease / fall / decline	The line goes down from left to right
Plateau / level off	The line stays flat — the value is not changing
Rapid / steep / sharp	A big change in a short time (the line is steep)
Gradual / steady	A small change over a longer time (the line is gentle)
Peak	The highest point on the graph
Fluctuate	The values go up and down repeatedly

Exam Tip: When describing data from a graph, always use specific values from the graph to support your description. "Heart rate increased" is vague. "Heart rate increased from 72 bpm at rest to 168 bpm after 10 minutes of exercise" is precise and scores more marks.

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Reading Bar Charts

Bar charts compare values across different categories.

How to Read a Bar Chart

Step	What to Do
1	Read the title and axis labels
2	Identify what each bar represents
3	Read the values from the y-axis
4	Compare the heights of different bars
5	Identify the highest, lowest, and any patterns

Common Bar Chart Topics in OCR PE

• Participation rates in different sports or by different demographics
• Fitness test scores for different performers or age groups
• Heart rate or breathing rate data before, during, and after exercise
• Nutritional data (e.g. calorie intake from different food groups)

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Reading Pie Charts

Pie charts show proportions — how a total is divided into parts.

How to Read a Pie Chart