Hello Science Genie. Let's now learn about the scatter plot. A scatter plot is a type of plot or mathematical diagram using Cartesian coordinates and is used to display values for typically two variables for a set of data. If the points are color-coded, one additional variable can be displayed in the scatter plot. The data are displayed as a collection of points. Each point has the value of one variable determining the position on the horizontal axis and the value of the other variable determining the position on the vertical axis.
What are the other names for a scatter plot?
A scatter plot is also called a scatterplot, scatter graph, scatter chart, scattergram, or scatter diagram.
Video: Constructing a scatter plot | Regression
Scatter plot
First described by
John Herschel
Purpose
To identify the type of relationship (if any) between two quantitative variables
Let us look at a Scatter Plot example
For example, to display a link between a person's lung capacity, and how long that person could hold his/her breath, a researcher would choose a group of people to study, then measure each one's lung capacity (first variable) and how long that person could hold his/her breath (second variable). The researcher would then plot the data in a scatter plot, assigning "lung capacity" to the horizontal axis, and "time holding breath" to the vertical axis.
A person with a lung capacity of 400 cl who held his/her breath for 21.7 seconds would be represented by a single dot on the scatter plot at the point (400, 21.7) in the Cartesian coordinates. The scatter plot of all the people in the study would enable the researcher to obtain a visual comparison of the two variables in the data set, and will help to determine what kind of relationship there might be between the two variables.
Video: Studying, shoe size, and test scores scatter plots
Overview
What are dependent and independent variables?
A scatter plot can be used either when one continuous variable is under the control of the experimenter and the other depends on it or when both continuous variables are independent. If a parameter exists that is systematically incremented and/or decremented by the other, it is called the control parameteror independent variable and is customarily plotted along the horizontal axis. The measured or dependent variable is customarily plotted along the vertical axis. If no dependent variable exists, either type of variable can be plotted on either axis and a scatter plot will illustrate only the degree of correlation (not causation) between two variables.
Video: Scatterplots and Correlations
What is a Correlation?
A scatter plot can suggest various kinds of correlations between variables with a certain confidence interval. For example, weight and height, weight would be on y axis and height would be on the x axis. Correlations may be positive (rising), negative (falling), or null (uncorrelated).
How to identify a positive correlation?
If the pattern of dots slopes from lower left to upper right, it indicates a positive ................
...............
NOTE: You need to be subscribed to either a monthly or annual plan to view the full set of Math Lessons (Study Guide)
Please visit to register for a plan.
Let's Review
A ___________ is a type of plot or mathematical diagram using Cartesian coordinates and is used to display values for typically two variables for a set of data.
A scatter plot is also called a ___________ , ___________ , ___________ , ___________ or ___________
The measured or dependent variable is customarily plotted along the ___________ axis.
___________ may be positive (rising), negative (falling), or null (uncorrelated).
If the pattern of dots slopes from lower left to upper right, it indicates a ___________ correlation between the variables being studied.
A line of best fit (alternatively called '___________ ') can be drawn in order to study the relationship between the variables.
For a linear correlation, the best-fit procedure is known as ___________ ___________ and is guaranteed to generate a correct solution in a finite time.
Scatter diagram is one of the seven basic tools of ___________ ___________.
Scatter charts can be built in the form of ___________, ___________, or/and ___________.
Answer
A scatter plotis a type of plot or mathematical diagram using Cartesian coordinates and is used to display values for typically two variables for a set of data.
A scatter plot is also called a scatterplot, scatter graph, scatter chart, scattergram, or scatter diagram.
The measured or dependent variable is customarily plotted along the vertical axis.
Correlations may be positive (rising), negative (falling), or null (uncorrelated).
If the pattern of dots slopes from lower left to upper right, it indicates a positive correlation between the variables being studied.
A line of best fit (alternatively called 'trendline') can be drawn in order to study the relationship between the variables.
For a linear correlation, the best-fit procedure is known as linear regression and is guaranteed to generate a correct solution in a finite time.
Scatter diagram is one of the seven basic tools of quality control.
Scatter charts can be built in the form of bubble, marker, or/and line charts.
