A scatter plot with a 2 column data source

[SamB]

Hi,

I am using the Series tab (i have done a scatter plot) - i have put in 1
series of X and Y data. then i extended the "x values" data to include two
columns of data. the scale is now different and my graph is in 2D still, i
am wondering what relationship is now being described by my scatter plot.

Thanks

 

[Jon Peltier]

Excel doesn't know how to interpret your two-column X values, so it uses the
values it always does when this happens: 1, 2, 3, etc. Excel uses these
counting numbers if the X values consist of text (even a single text value
in the range), or if no X values are even specified.

If you want to add X values to a single series, put them at the end of the
original range of X values.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services
Tutorials and Custom Solutions
http://PeltierTech.com/
_______

 

[SamB]

thanks Jon. I ended up working this out when i knocked up a new set of
values with an obvious relationship and the plot was linear.

 

[jader3rd]

Cutting and pasting colums of data in to one colum so that Excel can figure
out what you're trying to do really breaks up the relationship of the data.
There should be some way in a scatter plot to say that there are no series,
or that all of the data is from the same series. While this may be the only
way to do it in Excel, this is the wrong solution to the problem.

 

[Jon Peltier]

If it's all one series, why not put all the X in one column and all the Y in
the next? What's the relationship of the data that makes you want to put it
into multiple columns? Doesn't that then imply the data is in separate
series with a relationship between the series?

- Jon