Chapter 10

Charting and Analyzing Data

IN THIS CHAPTER

check Understanding the parts of a chart

check Creating a chart

check Editing a chart

check Modifying the parts of a chart

check Playing with pivot tables

Look at any Excel spreadsheet loaded with rows and columns of numbers and you may wonder, “What do all these numbers really mean?” Long lists of numbers can be intimidating and confusing, but fortunately, Excel has a solution.

To help you analyze and understand rows and columns of numbers quickly and easily, Excel can convert data into a variety of charts such as pie charts, bar charts, and line charts. By letting you visualize your data, Excel helps you quickly understand what your data means so you can spot trends and patterns.

Understanding the Parts of a Chart

To create charts that clarify your data (rather than confuse you even more), you need to understand the parts of a chart and their purposes, as shown in Figure 10-1:

  • Data series: The numeric data that Excel uses to create the chart
  • X-axis: ...

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