Excel Charts

lo5750ul

Senior member
Jul 18, 2001
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If column A is a series of 5 numbers (e.g. 12, 33, 45, 52, 80) and column B is another series of numbers (120, 132, 139, 150, 163) how do I set the X-axis to equal the actual numbers from column A, not to just use them as labels.
 
Jan 18, 2001
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you can double click the axis that you want to adjust and change the endpoints. However, the numbers you describe are not evenly distributed so you won't be able to get them represented on the axis.

what do these numbers represent?
 

lo5750ul

Senior member
Jul 18, 2001
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Duh, my initial post was inaccurate.

I want to plot the actual values from column B on the X-Axis but I want the X-axis labels to be 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 etc, not the values from column B. How do I do that?
 
Jan 18, 2001
14,465
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well the X-axis of a line graph is treated as a category, not a scale. The only way you can approximate what you describe is to label the categories in a third column and point to that column on the X-axis labels box on the SERIES tab of the graph wizard
 

ttn1

Senior member
Oct 24, 2000
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Use a scatter plot. You can set the first column to the X-axis and the second column to the Y-axis.

Oops. Misread. Disregard this post.

ttn1
 

NelsonMuntz

Golden Member
Jun 14, 2001
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I am using good old Excel 97, but I think similar things can be done in the newer ones.
1) Select the data you want to graph and hit the chart wizard button.
2) Select XY (Scatter) from the standard types and whatever subtype you want on the right and click next.
3) In the Source Data selection make sure you are on Series and click the box to the right of x values and select what you want to use for x values and do the same thing for y values and click next.
4) Set the titles, axes, gridlines, legend, and data labels and click next.
5) Select if you want it as an object in an existing sheet or as a new sheet and click Finish and you should have what you desire.
Hope this helps.
<edited because I couldn't spell old>
PS not sure why the message right above mine jumped out so quick. He was on the right track.
 
Jan 18, 2001
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I don't think a scatterplot is what he needs. He should describe the context of the plot and describe what the numbers are supposed to mean, then maybe we can help him.

 

lo5750ul

Senior member
Jul 18, 2001
744
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76
Guys, thanks for all the input. I went to lunch, but before I went I started playing with the different types of graphs and I found that the scatter plot did what I wanted. Made a huge difference to the shape of the line.

Cheers.