When using WPS Area Chart, users often ask about 3 topics: chart selection, data preparation, and chart interpretation; this section answers 3 common questions.
FAQ
What is the difference between an area chart and a line chart?
- A line chart mainly uses lines to show trends.
- An area chart fills the space below the line with color, which places more emphasis on value range and total change.
- If you want a more visual presentation of trends, an area chart can be a suitable choice.
What kind of data works well in an area chart?
- It is recommended to arrange the data continuously by time or category.
- The horizontal axis usually uses a time series or continuous categories, while the vertical axis uses changing numeric values.
- If the data jumps too sharply or the categories are too scattered, the chart may be harder to read clearly.
Why do multiple series in an area chart look overlapped?
- Area charts use filled regions for each series, so overlap can happen when multiple series are displayed together.
- You can switch to a stacked area chart or a 100% stacked area chart to make the layer relationship clearer.
- You can also reduce the number of series shown at the same time to improve readability.
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Area Chart | A chart type that uses filled areas to show changes in data trends, especially when you want to emphasize totals and ranges. |
| Stacked Area Chart | An area chart that stacks multiple data series cumulatively to show how each part contributes to the whole. |
| 100% Stacked Area Chart | An area chart that shows how each series contributes to the whole as percentages over time or across categories. |