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Types of Charts
Excel provides a variety of different chart formats such as Bar, Column, Pie, Line,
Area, Scatter, Surface.
✶ Line Chart: It is used to show trends over a period of time. It is similar to plotting
a graph on a graph paper with its values on X and Y axis. It uses connecting dots
to display trends over a period of time.
✶ Column Chart: It is usually used to display the data in the form of vertical bars. It
is used to show the changes in data over a period of time or comparison among
the different data items. The categories are represented on the horizontal axis
and the values are represented on the vertical axis.
✶ Pie Chart: It is a circular chart divided into sectors where each sector shows the
relative size of each value. It always shows only one data series. It is useful when
you want to emphasis on a significant element.
✶ Area Chart: It is used to display the quantitative magnitude of the data graphically.
These charts are based on the features of the line chart. They basically emphasise
the area between the line and the axis with the help of the colours, textures,
pictures, etc.
✶ Bar Chart: The bar chart displays the data in the form of long rectangular
rods also called bars. These bars can be placed horizontally on the chart area.
It illustrates the comparisons amongst the individual items. In this chart,
categories are represented on the vertical axis and values are represented on
the horizontal axis.
✶ Scatter Chart: Scatter charts also known as XY scatter plot charts. They show the
correlations between the two sets of values. The X and Y axis is used to represent
the data plots on the chart.
Components of a Chart
Following are the main components of a chart:
✶ Chart Title: Chart title Grid lines
Chart Title
describes the main
aim and content of
Plot Area
the chart.
✶ X-axis: X-axis is the
horizontal axis of the Y-axis Data Series
chart. It is also called Data Labels
X-axis
the category axis.
Legend
✶ Y-axis: Y-axis is the
Components of a Chart
vertical axis of the
chart. It is also called the value axis.
Enhancing a Presentation 35

