XY Scatterplots
The data values of two series of equal length are plotted on the Cartesian (X-Y) plane, the value from the first series determining the position of the plotted symbol along the X axis, and the value from the second series determining the position of the plotted symbol along the Y axis. Data can be plotted as points only, with each pair of data series having different symbols, or, alternatively, sequential data pairs can be connected by a line, or, finally, both symbols and a connecting line can be used.
This screenshot shows a data table with two different series highlighted which are usable in a scatterplot. Each series is comprised of two lists of numeric values. The screenshot also shows the scatterplot made from these two data series.
Each series in a scatterplot can include three core components and four optional error components. The series may have a name, a single text value which will identify the series in the Graph Guru and in any legend attached to the chart. The series must have two lists of quantitative values, a list of X values and a list of Y values, which must have an equal number of elements. The series may also contain lists of error values for each of the X and Y lists with a positive and a negative component for each.
| Element | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Name | A single textual element labeling the data series. | {"Series1"} |
| X | A list of numeric values, which will place the values along the horizontal axis. | {14.5, 2.8, 11.8, 5.7, 8.2} |
| Y | A second list of numeric values, which will place the values along the vertical axis. | {154, 29, 63, 90, 107} |
| X Error (+) | A list of numeric values with as many elements as there were in the 'X' list. These values can be in the same units as the numeric values in the 'X' list, can be proportions or can be proportions multiplied by one hundred. | {0.10, 0.12, 0.09, 0.11, 0.09} |
| X Error (-) | A list of numeric values with as many elements as there were in the 'X' list. These values can be in the same units as the numeric values in the 'Value' list, can be proportions or can be proportions multiplied by one hundred. | {0.08, 0.11, 0.10, 0.09, 0.11} |
| Y Error (+) | A list of numeric values with as many elements as there were in the 'Y' list, and therefore in the 'X' list. These values can be in the same units as the numeric values in the 'Y' list, can be proportions or can be proportions multiplied by one hundred. | {0.09, 0.11, 0.10, 0.12, 0.09} |
| Y Error (-) | A list of numeric values with as many elements as there were in the 'Y' list, and therefore in the 'X' list. These values can be in the same units as the numeric values in the 'Y' list, can be proportions or can be proportions multiplied by one hundred. | {0.10, 0.09, 0.08, 0.11, 0.11} |
XY scatterplots provide three icons to select between different style options. The plots can be rendered with markers at each point, with markers at each point and a line joining adjacent values in the data lists, or with a line but no markers.
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The icon for scatterplot of style with only a marker at each point.
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The icon for scatterplot of style with a marker at each point and a line between adjacent points in the value lists.
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The icon for scatterplot of style with only a line between adjacent points in the value lists.