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Relationship Numerical

Scatter Plot

ggplot2: geom_point() · Package: ggplot2 · Variables: 2 numerical

WHAT IS A SCATTER PLOT?

A scatter plot (also called a scatter diagram or XY plot) places individual data points on two axes to reveal the relationship between two continuous variables. It is the go-to chart for answering "is there a correlation between X and Y?" Scatter plots reveal patterns like positive/negative correlations, clusters, and outliers that are invisible in summary statistics. Add a trend line with geom_smooth() to highlight the overall pattern. Color or shape aesthetics can encode a third variable (categorical grouping). Scatter plots require at least 10-15 data points to show meaningful patterns.

BEST FOR

  • · Correlation analysis
  • · Identifying clusters
  • · Detecting outliers
  • · Bivariate exploration

AVOID WHEN

  • · Categorical data on either axis
  • · Fewer than 10 data points
  • · Time-series trend

R + GGPLOT2 CODE EXAMPLE

ggplot2 
ggplot(mtcars, aes(x = wt, y = mpg)) +
  geom_point(color = "#ff6a00", size = 2) +
  labs(title = "Weight vs MPG", x = "Weight (1000 lbs)", y = "MPG")

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SIMILAR CHART TYPES

Bubble Chart geom_point(aes(size = ...))
Scatter plot with a third variable encoded as bubble size, showing 3+ variable relationships.
Heatmap geom_tile()
Matrix of values encoded as colors showing patterns across two dimensions.
Correlation Matrix geom_tile() + geom_text()
Grid displaying pairwise correlations among many numeric variables at a glance.

ALTERNATIVES FOR YOUR DATA TYPE

Bar Chart Comparison, Ranking
Compares values across discrete categories using rectangular bars proportional to values.
Horizontal Bar Chart Comparison, Ranking
Horizontal bars ideal for long labels, many categories, or ranked/sorted data.
Grouped Bar Chart Comparison
Clusters of bars comparing sub-groups within each category side by side.