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14 Charting Techniques
14 Charting Techniques
WPL_E829
When you create a chart in Excel, it’s produced with a default layout
and appearance. You can modify the layout, by adding labels and
other features, to improve its appearance and readability.
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The chart title appears at the top of the The horizontal (x) and vertical (y) axes
chart and explains it purpose. Textual show the scale of the chart or nominate
elements like this can be edited and the data elements. In this example, the
moved to any location required. x-axis is hidden by the data table.
The legend tells you the name of each the elements, e.g. the size of the column.
data series in the chart.
The data labels show you the actual A trendline shows you the trend of a
figures in conjunction with the data particular data series, while error bars
points. show you possible variations in figures.
A data table details the chart figures Text boxes and shapes (e.g. arrows)
below the data points in a table layout. In can be used to annotate charts or provide
this example it includes the legend key. additional information.
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SHOWING GRIDLINES
Many of Excel’s chart types include major size of the data value is important. You can show
gridlines by default. Gridlines help you to or hide horizontal and vertical gridlines and decide
determine the numeric value of each data point whether to display them for major and/or minor
and are therefore very useful when the absolute units.
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chart
ADDING A TRENDLINE
A trendline is used to depict the trend, showing general direction of results and the expected
an average figure for the values that the chart is direction of future results. There are six trend types
built on and building a prediction of what the to select from, being linear, logarithmic, polynomial,
values are likely to be. Trendlines show the power, exponential and moving average.
Click on Trendline
the Analysis group, to
, in
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display the options
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