Components of Exemplary Line Graphs and Scatter Plots

GUIDELINES FOR CREATING DATA DISPLAYS

Reference: Maryland Mathematics Content Standards (May 19, 2000), Indicators 4.5.2 and 4.8.2

Components of the y-axis:

(1) Descriptive label that includes the variable or quantity that changes
(2) Units appropriately represent data (may be part of the y-axis descriptive label)
(3) Scale is appropriate for the data
(4) Scale or number interval on the grid is consistent (may include a break)
(5) Spacing of scale is consistent along grid lines

Components of the x-axis:

(6) Descriptive label that includes the variable or quantity that changes
(7) Units appropriately represent data (may be part of the x-axis descriptive label)
(8) Scale is appropriate for data
(9) Scale or number interval on the grid is consistent
(10) Spacing of scale is consistent along grid

Other graph components:

(11) Main title for graph
(12) Origin is indicated by either a zero or an empty space for the zero

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