Line charts are a popular type of data visualization that use lines to represent the relationship between two variables. They are particularly useful for showing trends over time or the relationship between two quantitative variables.

Key Features of Line Charts

  • Trend Analysis: Ideal for displaying changes over time.
  • Multiple Lines: Can represent multiple variables or data series.
  • Interpolation: Can be used to estimate values between data points.
  • Scalability: Suitable for displaying large datasets with proper scaling.

Types of Line Charts

  1. Simple Line Chart: A basic line chart showing the relationship between two variables.
  2. Stacked Line Chart: Combines multiple data series into a single line, where each segment represents the contribution of each data series.
  3. 100% Stacked Line Chart: Similar to a stacked line chart, but each segment represents the percentage contribution of each data series.

How to Read a Line Chart

  • X-Axis: Typically represents time or another quantitative variable.
  • Y-Axis: Represents the second quantitative variable.
  • Line Thickness: Can indicate the magnitude of the data.
  • Data Points: Can be used to estimate values at specific points.

Example

Here is an example of a simple line chart showing the temperature over a week:

Temperature (°C)
20 |                     *
15 |                *
10 |           *
 5 |       *
 0 |____________________
   Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

For more information on data visualization, check out our Data Visualization Guide.