Since the numbers being used to measure each variable are so far apart, it is difficult to see the changes and fluctuations to the numbers which carry a smaller value (Daily Temp).Two limitations of the above line chart are: The following shows the result of creating a line chart when a scatter graph should have been plotted instead. Let us suppose that we had the following worksheet data:

A scatter chart never displays categories on the horizontal axis, while a line chart does.A line chart only has one numerical axis (the vertical, or Y, axis). The chart plots the intersection of X and Y numerical values into single data points (see below). A scatter plot always has numerical data on both axes, with the objective of determining a relationship between the two variables.A scatter plot is more about the relationship between the two variables, while a line chart places more emphasis on the values attached to those variables.You can tell the difference between these two chart types in the following ways: A few key differences are described below.ĭifferences between a scatter plot and a line chart However, scatter plots and line graphs are not the same. When a scatter plot is generated with connecting lines, one may make the mistake of thinking that it is a line graph. Some scatter plots even have a trendline to make any pattern more evident. If the points on the plot appear randomly, the two variables are interpreted as having no correlation.If the points are widely spread, then the relationship between the variables is said to be weak.If the line formed slopes from the upper left to lower right, then the correlation between the two variables is said to be negative.If the line formed slopes from the lower left to upper right, then the correlation between the two variables is said to be positive.If the dots or points on the scatter chart seem to form a line, then the relationship between the variables is said to be strong.

Scatter plots are interpreted as follows: With this type of graph, one variable is plotted on the horizontal axis and the other on the vertical, and any resulting pattern is used to determine what kind of correlation, if any, exists between them. It’s one of the many chart types available in Excel. Let’s discuss how to make a scatter plot in Excel!Ī scatter plot (also known as an XY chart) is a type of chart that shows whether there is a relationship between two variables.

Excel xy scatter plot labels macos