Line Graph (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025

Line graph also known as a line chart or line plot is a tool used for data visualization . It is a type of graph that represents the data in a pictorial form** which makes the raw data more easily understandable. In a line graph data points are connected with a straight-line and data points are represented either with points or wedges. Some other examples of graphs are **bar graphs, **histograms, **pie charts****, line graphs,** etc.

A **line graph or line chart is a graphical representation of the data that displays the relationship between two or more variables concerning time. It is made by connecting data points with straight-line segments.

Line Graph

Parts of Line Graph

Parts of the line graph include the following:

• **Title: It is nothing but the title of the graph drawn.
• **Axes: The line graph contains two axes i.e. X-axis and Y-axis.
• **Labels: The name given to the x-axis and y-axis.
• **Line: It is the line segment that is used to connect two or more data points.
• **Point: It is nothing but a point given at each segment.

Learn more about **Point, Lines, and Plane.

How to Draw and Read a Line Graph?

Drawing a line Graph

To make a line graph we need to use the following steps:

1. **Determine the variables: The first and foremost step is to identify the variables you want to plot on the X-axis and Y-axis.
2. **Choose appropriate scales: Based on your data, determine the appropriate scale.
3. **Plot the points: Plot the individual data points on the graph according to the given data.
4. **Connect the points: After plotting the points, you have to connect those points with a line.
5. **Label the axes: Add labels to the X-axis and Y-axis. You can also include the unit of measurement.
6. **Add Title: After completing the graph you should provide a suitable title.

**Reading a Line Graph

To read a line graph you need to follow the below given steps:

1. **Understand the axes: First, you need to understand the X-axis and Y-axis of the graph.
2. **Estimate the scale: Look at the values marked along each axis to determine the scale.
3. **Estimate the values of data points: Look at the data points on the graph to estimate the values on the graph.
4. **Analyze the pattern: Identify the pattern and analyze it.
5. **Conclude: Based on the above step find conclusions.

**Example: Draw a line graph for the given data

**Answer:

Line Graph between Days and No. of Absentees

The above diagram shows a line graph between No. of days and the number of absentees.

Types of Line Graph

Let us discuss the types of line graphs:

• **Simple Line Graph
• **Multiple Line Graph
• **Compound Line Graph

**Simple Line Graph

It is the most common type of line graph in which a single line represents the relationship between two variables over time. The above diagram is an example of a basic line graph.

**Multiple Line Graph

It is the type of line graph in which we can represent two or more lines in a single graph and they can either belong to the same categories or different which makes it easy to make comparisons between them. Multiple line graphs also include a double line graph or we can say that a double line graph is also a multiple line graph.

An example of multiple graphs is shown below:

Line Graph between Quantity and Year

In the above graph sale of product A and B is shown in the same graph.

**Compound Line Graph

It is a type of line graph in which multiple lines or data are combined into a single graph showing different categories or variables. The main aim of a compound line graph is to represent or display the relationship between different variables on a single graph.

A Compound Line graph example is shown below:

Line Graph between Time and No. Of Vehicles

Advantages of Line Graph

Some of the advantages of using line graph are listed below:

• It helps to visualize the data.
• It provides a clear overview of the data.
• It becomes easy to make predictions using a line graph.
• It helps to compare the data more easily.

**Note: Line graph is not suitable to show non linear relationship or complex data

**Articles related to Line Graph:

• **Statistics
• **Bar Graphs
• **Histograms
• **Pie Chart

Solved Examples on Line Graph

**Examples 1: Draw a line graph for the given data.

**Solution:

Line Graph: Temperature vs Time

**Examples 2: Draw a line graph from the given data and answer the following questions.

****(a) In the above graph find in which year the sale of product A is maximum.**

****(b)** **Find in which year the sale of product B is the minimum.

****(c) Find in which year the sale of products A and B is the same.**

**Solution:

Line Graph for Sale of Product A and B over the years

(a) In 2011, the sale of product A is maximum.

(b) In 2013, the sale of Product B is minimum.

(c) There is no year in which the sale of Product A and B is the same.

**Examples 3: Draw a compound line graph for the given data.

| | Samsung | Apple | One Plus | Vivo | | | --------- | ----- | -------- | ---- | -- | | Quarter 1 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 17 | | Quarter 2 | 32 | 21 | 20 | 25 | | Quarter 3 | 52 | 60 | 65 | 70 |

**Solution:

Line Graph representing number of Mobile Phones sold in each Quarters

**Examples 4: Draw a line graph for the given data

**Solution:

**Examples 5: Draw a line graph for the given data.

**Solution: