Creating a density plot

The density plot shows how numerical data, binned into intervals, is distributed across the X-axis and Y-axis. To visualize the density, that is, visualize to which extent the markers overlap each other totally, the Color by setting is used.

About this task

The markers that represent the binned values are shaped as tiles in a grid.

A density plot is created from a scatter plot visualization, but a pre-configured density plot can appear as one of the visualizations that is recommended to you, when you select two numerical data columns in the Data in analysis flyout. Then you can add it by simply dragging it to the visualization canvas. If you want to create the density plot from scratch, follow the procedure below.

Procedure

On the authoring bar, click Visualization types to open the flyout.
Drag the Scatter plot visualization type to the wanted position on the analysis page.
A suggestion of a scatter plot is presented.
Select the numerical column to display on the X-axis.
Select the numerical column to display on the Y-axis.
Auto-bin the X-axis and the Y-axis.
Make sure Marker by is set to (None).
Set Color by to (Row count).
Right-click the scatter plot, and select Properties.
The Properties popover is shown.
Select Shape.
The Shape section is shown.
Select Tiled markers.
Drag the sliders on the axes to adjust the number of bins.

Example

In the scatter plot below, it seems that many markers overlap each other totally.

If you follow the procedure above, the plot that is created indicates the density by letting colors reflect how many data rows the tiled markers represent.