Bar chart

Example of a bar chart

A bar chart or bar graph is a chart with rectangular bars with lengths proportional to the values that they represent. Bar charts are used for comparing two or more values that were taken over time or on different conditions, usually on small data sets. The bars can be horizontal lines or it can also be used to mass a point of view.
[edit]Example

Bar graphs are an excellent way to show results that are one time, that aren't continuous - especially samplings such as surveys, inventories, etc. Below is a typical survey asking students about their favorite after school activity. Notice that in this graph each column is labeled - it is also possible to label the category to the left of the bar. In this case, the numbers for each category are across the bottom of the chart. A bar chart is marked off with a series of lines called grid lines. These lines typically mark off a numerical point in the series of numbers on the axis or line. In this case, each grid line going up and down marks a multiple of 20 as the graph is divided such.More gridlines can make it easier to be exact with the amounts being shown on the bar graph, but too many can make it confusing. Notice that for data that does not fall evenly on a multiple of 20, the bar is in between two grid lines. Bar graphs are useful to get an overall idea of trends in responses - which categories get many versus few responses.

Favorite Student After School Activity Activity Visit W/Friends Talk on Phone Play Sports Earn Money Use Computers Number 175 168 120 120 65

Pie chart A pie chart (or a circle graph) is a circular chart divided into sectors, illustrating proportion. In a pie chart, the arc length of each sector (and consequently its central angle and area), is proportional to the quantity it represents. When angles are measured with 1 turn as unit then a number of percent is identified with the same number of centiturns. Together, the sectors create a full disk. It is named for its resemblance to a pie which has been sliced. The earliest known pie chart is generally credited to William Playfair's Statistical Breviary of 1801.[1][2]

Example

A pie chart for the example data.

An exploded pie chart for the example data, with the largest party group exploded. The following example chart is based on preliminary results of the election for the European Parliament in 2004. The table lists the number of seats allocated to each party group, along with the derived percentage of the total that they each make up. The values in the last column, the derived central angle of each sector, is found by multiplying the percentage by 360. Group Seats Percent (%) Central angle () EUL 39 5.3 19.2 PES 200 27.3 98.4 EFA 42 5.7 20.7 EDD 15 2.0 7.4 ELDR 67 9.2 33.0 EPP 276 37.7 135.7 UEN 27 3.7 13.3 Other 66 9.0 32.5 Total 732 99.9* 360.2* *Because of rounding, these totals do not add up to 100 and 360. The size of each central angle is proportional to the size of the corresponding quantity, here the number of seats. Since the sum of the central angles has to be 360, the central angle for a quantity that is a fractionQ of the total is 360Q degrees. In the example, the central angle for the largest group (European People's Party (EPP)) is 135.7 because 0.377 times 360, rounded to one decimal place(s), equals 135.7.