Excel Graphs?

Question

I need to make a line graph on Excel, and I cannot figure out how. I need to make the graph out of some ordered pairs (x, y).

How do I do this?

Answer 1

The reason that you are getting two lines is because you are choosing a Line chart. In a Line chart, there really isn't an X variable, just a label (which could be text, numbers, or any old gobbledygook and the chart would look the same).



Since your X and Y data are mathematically related, you need to use an XY Scatter chart. That chart type will correctly plot the data pairs that you have. Just make sure that the X variable is to the left of the Y variable in the spreadsheet, and then select both and create an XY Scatter chart.



This is an incredibly common error. Most people try to use Line charts most of the time when they should almost always use XY Scatter. Really, the main use for Line charts is when you have text labels on the X axis.



Tim

http://feeds.feedburner.com/ExcelBlog

Answer 2

Say you have 3 columns. In the first row, columns B and C you have Jan and Feb for the months. In Column A begining row 2 you have the categories, red, blue, black. Then starting row 2 under Jan and Feb you have your figures. Highlight the cells A2:c4, then up to the chart icon on the toolbar, click on that and it will start of step 1 of 4 of creating the chart. Step one is to select the type, so scroll down the left side to where it says line, third down I think click and on the right you will get different types of line. To keep it simple, I would just use the one that is usually selected, with markers.. Click Next to step 2 and you will see a pic of the chart, two lines with red, blue and black on the x axis at the bottom but at the moment no telling what line is Jan or what is Feb, only series. Click on the series tab at the top. In the left side you will see series 1 and series 2. While series 1 is highlighted, click in the series name to the right and type Jan, then click on series 2 and type Feb in the name box. The legend is now more descriptive. Click next to step 3. Here you put the title of the chart and then the axis labels so for X you could put Colours and for Y the one running down the left side, you could put sales. Next to step four, this is where you should select first option to put chart on separate sheet so it is full size. If you want to add data labels instead of legend though one doesnt usually for this type you coudl do right button down to chart options and get back to data labels and remove the legend. That basically is it, same for column or bar charts, tiny bit more complicated than pie charts because you are creating a comparative chart and therefore have the axes. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

If you have some data in a column, highlight it and click on Insert, Chart. Under the tab Standard Types, click on Line, then customize as needed to Finish.