Scatter Plots

[thepapercup]

Okay, I feel weird asking this kind of question because I know there's a very simple answer to it, but I'm just hoping to find out a quick way to set this question up.

Here we go:
Make a scatter plot of the data

I'm just wondering what you all think the most efficient way to set this graph up is.
It's supposed to be on one scatter plot.

Thank you for your time.
~Lori

 

[mmm4444bot]

Look it up ...

... I'm just hoping to find out a quick way to ... Make a scatter plot of the data."

The quickest way that I know of is to enter the search string "scatter plot" into the search engine at Google, followed by scanning a few sites until you can form specific questions about your exercise.

Do you know what a scatter plot is? If you do, then what is it about getting started that has you stuck?

~ Mark

PS: Don't worry about efficiency; grab paper and pencil and start experimenting ...

 

[thepapercup]

I know what a scatter plot is I'm just not sure exactly how to set this one up since there's three different categories: Gestation, Life Span and then the animal. Maybe I should just make two different scatter plots for this?

 

[Mrspi]

I know what a scatter plot is I'm just not sure exactly how to set this one up since there's three different categories: Gestation, Life Span and then the animal. Maybe I should just make two different scatter plots for this?

How about doing this: put the gestation days on one axis (horizontal) and life span in years on the other axis (vertical). Then, when you plot the point for a particular animal, such as (122, 5) for a beaver, LABEL that point with the name of the animal.

 

[stapel]

...Then, when you plot the point for a particular animal, such as (122, 5) for a beaver, LABEL that point with the name of the animal.

I have often seen this labelling practice demonstrated in The Economist newsjournal, so this would seem to be an accepted practice within the statistical / financial community -- in addition to being quite sensible. :wink:

Eliz.

 

[mmm4444bot]

... there's three different categories ...

Maybe there's only two categories. If a person is interested in looking for a correlation between gestation and life span in the animal kingdom in general, then they could ignore the species.

Anyway, I was anticipating this question, but I wanted to learn if the Paper Cup understood scatter plots before I made my suggestion: you can use colored dots if you want to retain the assocation with species (don't forget to provide the color key).

Or, if your scales are sufficient to keep the dots from clustering, then the previous suggestions of labeling might be easier for the reader.

~ Mark