- When graphing data it is important that everything be labeled clearly.
- The title should tell the reader the information the graph is conveying.
- Units should be specified.
- Scales should be multiples of 1,2, or 5 rule for ease in interpolating. The horizontal and vertical scales may be different, but they must be uniform.
- If there are multiple graphs, a legend should label each one.
- The graph(s) should expand to fill the available scale as much as possible.
- A smooth line or curve of best fit should be drawn. It may not go through all the points.
Creating Graphs in a Spreadsheet
First, enter your data in columns.
Select the data with your mouse and click on the Chart button (Insert | Chart):
Pick -> XY Scatter.
Right clicking on different areas of the graph allows you to customize:
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