Statistics/Displaying Data/Line Graphs

Line Graphs
Basically, a line graph can be, for example, a picture of what happened by/to something (a variable) during a specific time period (also a variable).

On the left side of such a graph usually is as an indication of that "something" in the form of a scale, and at the bottom is an indication of the specific time involved.

Usually a line graph is plotted after a table has been provided showing the relationship between the two variables in the form of pairs. Just as in (x,y) graphs, each of the pairs results in a specific point on the graph, and being a LINE graph these points are connected to one another by a LINE.

Many other line graphs exist; they all CONNECT the points by LINEs, not necessarily straight lines. Sometimes polynomials, for example, are used to describe approximately the basic relationship between the given pairs of variables, and between these points. The higher the degree of the polynomial, the more accurate is the "picture" of that relationship, but the degree of that polynomial must never be higher than n-1, where n is the number of the given points.

See also Graph theory

Curve fitting

From Wikipedia: Line graph and Curve fitting

External Links
 * Interactive Java-based Line Graph Applet