Bar charts display data by showing relationships
of wholes to wholes. When you want to compare a number of objects
or show the same object at different points in time, bar charts
are particularly useful. These can answer questions such as:
- Which river has consistently higher flows?
- Which temperature range is critical for the widest
range of fish?
Stacked bar charts (bars divided up into sections) help
show proportions and how these change at various points in time
or under various conditions. Stacked bar charts help answer
questions such as:
- Does the planning portion of the budget change during
budget cuts?
- Does time spent on paperwork change with various activities?
Important thresholds (e.g., a minimum flow of 300 cubic
feet per second) can be shown with a line across all the bars
to find fatal flaws quickly.
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