a) Pie chart
b) Bar chart
c) Line chart
d) Radar chart
Show Answer
c) Line chart
Show Answer
The best chart type in Excel for showing trends over time is usually the Line Chart (or Line Graph). Line charts are excellent for visualizing data that changes continuously over a period of time. They are particularly effective for displaying trends, patterns, and variations in data over time.
Here’s how to create a Line Chart in Excel:
- Select your data: Ensure that you have two columns of data. The first column contains the time or date values (e.g., months, years), and the second column contains the corresponding data points you want to plot.
- Select your data: Highlight the data range.
- Insert a Line Chart: Go to the “Insert” tab on the Excel ribbon.
- Choose Line Chart: Click on the “Line” chart type, and select the specific line chart subtype you prefer, such as a simple line chart or a line chart with markers.
Excel will generate a line chart with your selected data. The x-axis will represent time, and the y-axis will represent the data values. You can customize the chart further, add data labels, and modify the formatting to make it more informative and visually appealing.
Line charts are versatile and can effectively display trends in various contexts, such as sales over time, stock prices, temperature variations, and more. They make it easy to identify patterns and changes in data, making them the preferred choice for time-based data analysis.
