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Types of Charts

The most common chart types include pie, bar, column (default), line, and area. Table 12.2 lists these chart types, their descriptions, and how you would use them.

Table 12.2. Excel's Chart Types

Chart Type	Description/How to Use It
Pie	Plots only one category of data, but each wedge of the pie represents a different data series. Use this chart to show the relationship among parts of a whole.
Bar	Horizontal representations of column charts, often called histograms. Use this chart to compare values at a given point in time, emphasizing the performance of a group of items. Often, different patterns are not required for bar chart data series.
Column	Similar to a bar chart; use this chart to emphasize the difference between items over a period ...