Graphs are diagrams that can be used to display information. They are visual representations of data on graphs, showing different types of graph trends and relationships between variables. We use graphs because they make reporting and scientific research more powerful. They allow us to see for ourselves what the numbers actually mean. They bring numbers to life so we can analyze them. Then we can look at the results and understand them better. To better understand these graphs, we will introduce them in different types.
There are five types of graphs which are used the most frequently, they are pie chart, line graph, pictograph, bar graph and venn diagram. Now let’s learn them in detail with examples.
It is important to use the right graph for your data, so how do you pick the perfect graph? Pie charts are very widely used in the business world and the mass media. However, they have been criticized, and many experts recommend avoiding them, as research has shown it is difficult to compare different sections of a given pie chart, or to compare data across different pie charts. Line graphs are useful in finance because they are very effective at creating visual representations of trends over time. For this reason, they are often used to depict how a stock is performing over a specific period of time. Pictographs in maths are typically used in concepts like data handling. They help in laying the foundation for data interpretation based on pictorial information. Bar graphs provide a visual presentation of categorical data. Categorical data is a grouping of data into discrete groups, such as months of the year, age group, shoe sizes, and animals. Venn diagrams are widely used in mathematics, statistics, logic, teaching, linguistics, computer science and business. It can also help us easily compare data. All in all, each graph has its own use and strengths, and if we use them correctly, we can gain insights more easily.
From my point of view, my favourite graph is the line chart. First, because line charts are useful for representing continuous data, such as changes over time, so it has the widest usage in real life. For example, it can help us to describe the stock market, weather changes or scientific experiments, etc. Second, they are also useful to show data variables and trends very clearly and thus they can help to make predictions about the results of data not yet recorded. Because of its prediction feature, I feel I have been empowered to know the future. As we all know, prediction feature is the core function of AI technology which I am very interested in.
In conclusion, all the graphs are useful but only when they are applied in the suitable case. Although they are useful tools to understand the data, they aren’t the only ones. There are also tables, mathematical equations and sometimes just a pure list, or a minimum or maximum value is good enough to translate data into insights and actions. For instance, I use a table to explain the graph names, explanations and the example of the graphs because using the table is very clear and obvious to explain each type well. Another example is when we need to know the average height of a class, a simple calculation can help. All in all, like I explained, the ideal usage of every sort of those graphs, is to use them in their own strength.
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