Definition
Line graph
A line graph joins plotted values in order to show how a quantity changes, often over time.
View exact chart data
| Day | Pages |
|---|---|
| 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5 | 9 |
What it means
Read from left to right. Each point records a value at one position or time; the segment carries your eye to the next point. Rising parts show an increase, falling parts show a decrease, and flat parts show no change between recorded values.
Remember it
Follow the points in order: up means more, down means less, flat means unchanged.
Example
Temperatures were 12°C at 9 a.m., 15°C at 10 a.m., 14°C at 11 a.m., and 18°C at noon. Plot those four points and join them in time order; the graph rises, dips, then rises.
Watch for
Favourite fruits are separate categories. Joining apple, banana, and pear bars with a line would suggest an in-between path that the categories do not have.
Common mix-up
A segment shows the pattern between recorded points; it does not prove the real-world change happened in a perfectly straight way.
Exact meaning
A line graph plots numerical observations at ordered x-values and connects consecutive points in that order with line segments so change and trend can be seen.