Creating a scatter plot

In a scatter plot, markers are displayed in a two-dimensional coordinate system. It is useful for getting an overview of how your data is distributed across two dimensions.


Example of a scatter plot.
By default, each row in your loaded data table is represented by a marker. The marker's position in the coordinate system is defined by the row's values in the columns selected on the X-axis and the Y-axis. For example, the marker's position for the last row in the data table below is the coordinate 186 on the X-axis, and 84 on the Y-axis.
The representation of a data row in a table compared to the representation in a scatter plot.

Procedure

  1. On the authoring bar, click Visualization types to open the flyout.
  2. Drag the Scatter plot visualization type to the wanted position on the analysis page.
    A suggestion of a scatter plot is presented.
  3. Select the column to display on the X-axis.
  4. Select the column to display on the Y-axis.

Examples

When visualizing data in scatter plots, you get a view of the distribution. You may for example find that data forms groups, or that data is more gathered.
One scatter plot with two groups and one with a single large group.
The scatter plot can also be used to examine whether or not there is a relationship between the columns. The closer the markers are to a straight line, the stronger the relation. For example, the column values in the left-hand scatter plot below do not seem to be related, but in the right-hand scatter plot, a higher value on the X-axis seems, in general, to have a higher value on the Y-axis.
One scatter plot with markers spread all around and one with markers generally in a line.

To illustrate how you can get an overview of the data distribution, the following data table is visualized in the bottom scatter plot.
Example data table .
The data table lists areas and prices of a number of apartments. At a quick glance, it is easy to see that the objects appear in groups.
Scatter plot with three groups of values.