Excel Incorrectly Plotting Non-sequential Data Points
 

I am plotting a chart in Excel 2003 using non-sequential data points
as shown below.

Time Value
0 0.07
2 0.09
4 0.14
6 0.10
9 0.08
10 0.09

Excel, however, plots them in order as if they we

Time Value
1 0.07
2 0.09
3 0.14
4 0.10
5 0.08
6 0.09

When I look at the Source Data, it highlights the right data, but just
seems to plot it incorrectly. Could this be a formatting error? Any
help is VERY appreciated.

Excel Incorrectly Plotting Non-sequential Data Points
 

Aaron,

Select both columns (not just the Value column) then use the Insert Chart command, and select XY
scatter.

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP


wrote in message ps.com...
I am plotting a chart in Excel 2003 using non-sequential data points
as shown below.

Time Value
0 0.07
2 0.09
4 0.14
6 0.10
9 0.08
10 0.09

Excel, however, plots them in order as if they we

Time Value
1 0.07
2 0.09
3 0.14
4 0.10
5 0.08
6 0.09

When I look at the Source Data, it highlights the right data, but just
seems to plot it incorrectly. Could this be a formatting error? Any
help is VERY appreciated.

Excel Incorrectly Plotting Non-sequential Data Points
 

Bernie,

Thank you for the help. Your method solved the problem that time, but
now it's not working now with the following set of data:

-1 0.07
0 0.07
2 0.09
4 0.14
6 0.10
9 0.08
10 0.09

I can create a perfect chart using rows the first 6 rows above, but as
soon as I add the last row of data, it wants to plot everything
sequentially as "1" through "7". I don't understand why this would
change just because of the "10".

Excel Incorrectly Plotting Non-sequential Data Points
 

edit: ...change because of the "-1"

Excel Incorrectly Plotting Non-sequential Data Points
 

It plots just fine as an "XY (Scatter)" chart in Excel 2000 and Excel 2003.

Most likely either
1. you are specifiying a "Line" chart (which is intended to behave as you
describe), or
2. some of your observations are not really numbers

To test for #2, try =COUNT(xdata) and =COUNT(ydata) to be sure that both are
returning 7 as expected.

Jerry

" wrote:

Bernie,

Thank you for the help. Your method solved the problem that time, but
now it's not working now with the following set of data:

-1 0.07
0 0.07
2 0.09
4 0.14
6 0.10
9 0.08
10 0.09

I can create a perfect chart using rows the first 6 rows above, but as
soon as I add the last row of data, it wants to plot everything
sequentially as "1" through "7". I don't understand why this would
change just because of the "10".

Excel Incorrectly Plotting Non-sequential Data Points
 

Thanks Jerry!

The problem was with the cell containing "10". It was not recognized
as a number so the COUNT function was only returning a value of 6. I
re-formatted the cell and it now graphs as it should. Thanks again.

- Aaron

Excel Incorrectly Plotting Non-sequential Data Points
 

You're welcome! Glad it helped.
Jerry

" wrote:

Thanks Jerry!

The problem was with the cell containing "10". It was not recognized
as a number so the COUNT function was only returning a value of 6. I
re-formatted the cell and it now graphs as it should. Thanks again.

- Aaron