Definition
Scatter plot
A scatter plot shows paired numerical data as unconnected points on two axes.
View exact chart data
| Light | Height |
|---|---|
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 | 9 |
| 5 | 12 |
| 6 | 13 |
| 7 | 16 |
What it means
Each dot belongs to one pair. Read across for its x-value and up for its y-value. Then step back and look at the cloud of dots: does it rise, fall, curve, cluster, or show no clear direction? The axis labels and scales tell you what the pair means.
Remember it
One dot is one pair; the whole cloud shows the pattern.
Example
For each bean plant, plot daily light hours as x and height in centimetres as y. Points such as (3, 8), (5, 12), and (7, 16) form an upward pattern, suggesting a positive association. The pattern alone does not prove that extra light caused every height difference.
Watch for
A line graph usually connects values in an order such as time. A scatter plot focuses on the pattern among paired measurements, so its data points are normally left unconnected.
Common mix-up
Association is not the same as causation. A third factor or the way data were collected may help explain why two variables move together.
Exact meaning
A scatter plot places one point for each pair of numerical values from the same item or observation. The overall pattern can show positive, negative, nonlinear, or no clear association, but the plot alone does not prove that one variable causes the other.