Read the scale before you plot.

• Find one small square first: (difference between two labels) ÷ (small squares between them).
• Check each axis separately. The x and y scales are often different; the examiners link many plotting errors to this.
• Count from the nearest label, not from the end of the axis, then check the point is within half a small square.
• When you choose the scale, use 1, 2 or 5 (times 10, 100, 0.1...) per large square and make the points fill at least half the grid.

Practise next: Graphs of functions, Graphs in practical situations and Scatter diagrams. Examiner points paraphrased from the Cambridge 0580 reports (March 2024, March 2025). The questions on this page are our own.