Creating an X-Y Graph on Graphing Paper

• 1). Draw a straight, vertical line 1 inch away from the left edge of a blank sheet of graphing paper. The line should begin at the top of the page and end at the bottom of the page. For a more accurate graph, draw the vertical line using a ruler.
  
  
• 2). Draw a straight, horizontal line that starts at the bottom of the vertical line and ends one inch from the right edge of the graphing paper. Use a ruler for precision. This line, known as the x-axis, should form a right angle with the y-axis.
  
  
• 3). Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable in your data set. Independent variables are represented on the x-axis, and dependent variables are represented on the y-axis. The independent variable is the variable that can be manipulated. The dependent variable responds according to the independent variable -- the dependent variable is a function of the independent variable. For example, an independent variable could be time measured in years and the dependent variable could be the amount of sales for that year.
  
  
• 4). Use a title that identifies your graph. The titles of x-y graphs must be specific and are usually written in a dependent variable versus independent variable format -- for example, “Time Vs. Amount of Sales." Center align the graph’s title at the top of your x-y graph.
  
  
• 5). Place evenly spaced tick marks along both axes. The tick marks represent consistent graduations in amount, value or measurement and are placed in ascending value from left to right on the x-axis and in ascending value from bottom to top on the y-axis. Place the first tick mark on the x-axis 1 inch to the right of the origin. For example, for an x-y graph that shows the relationship between the year and amount of sales, the first tick mark on the x-axis would be the earliest year of data If the data compared values every year for four years beginning in 1990, the x-axis should have four evenly spaced tick marks labeled 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 from left to right. The y-axis should have evenly spaced tick marks representing a graduation in the dollar amount of sales for the range of dollar amounts in the data set. The tick mark with the lowest dollar amount in the range should be placed 1 inch above the origin on the y-axis.
  
  
• 6). Label the x-axis with the amount and unit of the independent variable -- for example, "Time (Year)." Center align the label and placed it below the x-axis.
  
  
• 7). Label the y-axis with the amount and unit of the independent variable -- for example "Amount of Sales (Dollar)." The label should be placed to the left of the midpoint of the y-axis.
  
  
• 8). Plot your paired data using a small dot. Paired data is often documented in a format with the x-variable representing the independent value and the y-variable representing the dependent variable. The x-variable represents the horizontal placement of the paired data in the graph, and the y-variable represents the corresponding vertical placement in the graph. Find the horizontal location of the x-variable and then locate the vertical location of the y-variable. Repeat this process for all of your paired data sets.
  
  
• 9). Draw a line that best represents the relationship between all the plotted data point in the x-y graph. Jagged lines that connect each plotted point are typically inaccurate. Instead, draw a straight line that gets as close to as many plotted points as possible. Remember that this straight line can be inaccurate, especially when the graph includes a broad range of scattered points and statistical outliers.