tip for graphing with Excel

Sometimes you need to graph several variables one after the other – for example, in this weather database, we plotted the daily maximum temperature against time. For clarity, we plotted just 10 days.
Next we clicked on the graph with the result that purple and blue boxes surrounded the cells ranges we had used to make the graph.

We clicked these boxes, held the mouse button down and moved them over to the daily minimum temperatures. The graph changed accordingly. Nice one – when you try this, note that you can move either or both boxes.

Now try this: analyse a data table about the planets

Let’s say you want to see how the number of moons planets have change with gravity. You also want to see how they change with the planets diameter.

See the planets page to get a copy of a planet database. You then open or import this file with Excel.

First make an x-y scattergraph graph of moons against gravity.

Click on the finished graph and move the coloured boxes from gravity to diameter.

If you want to analyse a Periodic Table database:

• You can use Excel: see the page where you can get a copy of an elements database. You then open this file with Excel.
• Choose Data / Autofilter. This put arrows beside the column headings.
• If you want to see the ten most dense elements, click on the arrow next to density. Choose top ten. A subset of the data appears. Click again on the arrow to clear the selection.
• Similarly, you can use the Autofilter to say, find elements which are liquid at room temperature. Click on the melting point arrow and choose melting points which are below room temperature. Click on the boiling point arrow and choose boiling points which are above room temperature.
• Graphing – to show how melting points etc varies across the table, you graph the data. As in the Excel tip above, you move the boxes to graph different parameters.