Difference Between Area Chart And Stacked Area Chart
When it comes to visualizing data, charts are a powerful tool that can help you understand trends and patterns in your data. Two common types of charts used to display data are area charts and stacked area charts. Although they may look similar at first glance, there are some key differences between the two that you should be aware of. In this article, we’ll explore the differences between area chart and stacked area chart.
Area Chart
An area chart is a type of chart that displays quantitative data by plotting points on a graph and then connecting those points with a line. The area between the line and the x-axis is then filled in with color, creating a shaded area that represents the data. Area charts are useful for showing changes in data over time, and they can also be used to compare multiple sets of data on the same chart.
One of the advantages of an area chart is that it makes it easy to see the overall trend of the data. You can quickly identify whether the data is increasing or decreasing, and you can also see how much variation there is in the data. Area charts are also useful for highlighting specific data points, such as peaks or troughs, and they can be used to show changes in the distribution of the data over time.
Stacked Area Chart
A stacked area chart is similar to an area chart in that it displays quantitative data by plotting points on a graph and connecting those points with a line. However, a stacked area chart takes things a step further by stacking multiple areas on top of each other, with each area representing a different category or data series.
The stacked area chart is useful for showing the relationship between different data series, as well as the overall trend of the data. By stacking the areas on top of each other, you can see how the data points in each series contribute to the overall trend. This makes it easy to identify which data series are driving the trend and which ones are not.
Differences Between Area Chart And Stacked Area Chart
Although area charts and stacked area charts may look similar, there are some key differences between the two that you should be aware of. One of the main differences is that an area chart displays a single data series, while a stacked area chart displays multiple data series stacked on top of each other.
Another difference between the two charts is that an area chart is useful for showing changes in the data over time, while a stacked area chart is useful for showing the relationship between different data series. In an area chart, each data point represents a single value, while in a stacked area chart, each data point represents the sum of multiple values.
Finally, the way the data is displayed is different between the two charts. In an area chart, the shaded area represents the data, while in a stacked area chart, each layer represents a different data series.
Conclusion
Area charts and stacked area charts are both useful tools for visualizing data, but they have different purposes and display data in different ways. An area chart is useful for showing changes in data over time, while a stacked area chart is useful for showing the relationship between different data series. By understanding the differences between the two charts, you can choose the one that best suits your needs and effectively communicate your data to your audience.