Charts and Graphs

The Basic:
X and Y Axes – Which is Which?

• typically data is
plotted in two
dimensions
• horizontal dimension
is the x-axis
• vertical dimension is
the y-axis
• known value goes on the
x-axis
• measured (or
"unknown") value on the
y-axis
• Example: measured
average temperature for
a number of month
Four common graph types

1. Line graph
2. Bar graph
3. Pie chart
4. Venn diagram
LINE GRAPH
• One of the most common graphs
• Useof a line to connect the data points
that you plot
• Most useful for showing trends, and for
identifying whether two variables relate to
(or "correlate with") one another
• Youcan use line graphs when the variable
plotted along the x-axis is continuous (e.g.
time, temperature or distance)
• When the y-axis indicates a quantity or
percent and the x-axis represents units of
time, the line graph is often referred to as
a time series graph
Trend data:
• How do sales vary from month to month?
• How does engine performance change as
its temperature increases?
Correlation:
• On
average, how much sleep do people get,
based on their age?
• Doesthe distance a child lives from school
affect how frequently he or she is late?
Example:
• ABC Enterprises' sales vary throughout the year. By plotting
sales figures on a line graph, it's easy to see the main
fluctuations during the course of a year. Here, sales drop off
during the summer months, and around New Year.
Example: Multiple data series
• In this example you might have different trend lines for
different product categories or store locations. It's easy to
compare trends when they're represented on the same graph.
BAR GRAPH
• shows relationships between different data
series