Page 49 - TX_Marketing 2_M1_v2

That is, many functions are concerned with the points themselves and special

portions of the graph that, in addition to the points on the line, provide solutions to
mathematical equations. In addition, when you are using a line graph to illustrate

accuracy or the existence or absence of a statistically significant relationship, you

would not want to fill in any region below your line because it is, again, the points
themselves with which you are primarily concerned and, more specifically, how close

they are to your graphed line. "Filling in" everything below the line would hide your

data points that are below the line. In many cases, however, and in the cases we will
examine in this module, they are the same.

Both line graphs and bar graphs involve plotting points in relation to their values to
illustrate something about those points.

When choosing between them, you have to ask yourself "What do I want to illustrate
with my chart?" Bar graphs and line graphs can represent the same information, but

they tend to emphasize different aspects about the information. So which one you

choose should depend upon what you want to emphasize.

So which do you choose? Let's consider our current example involving the falling

sales totals. A line graph might be a better choice in this case because the "line" helps
illustrate the progression of time, since we tend to view time as a linear passing. In

addition, the downward sloping line might illustrate the downward sales turn more
dramatically than the rising bars.

In this case, it is a matter of taste and a matter of what you want to emphasize. For
example, if in fact the line graph heavily emphasizes the downward turn of sales

totals, then perhaps the bar graph is preferable because it might not seem so

"negative." If you were giving this presentation in a large auditorium, then the bar
graph might be preferable because it might be easier to read from afar.

TX Marketing II: Negotiation Techniques 48