Drawing a Line Graph
Features of a graph
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Axis title (independent variable)
Axis title (dependent variable)
Axis units (only if they are needed)
Graph heading
correct Scale
Data
Line of best fit
STEP 1: Give the graph a heading. Write the heading at the top
STEP 2: Decide where each variable will go.
The independent variable will go on the xaxis (this is what you are changing)
This is normally the first column of the
table.
The dependent variable will go on the yaxis (this is what you are counting).
This is normally the second column of the table.
STEP 3: Are there any units? If there are, add them in brackets next
to the axis heading.
STEP 4: Create the scale.
Some things to remember:
● Always start at 0 for both the x and y axis.
● the scale should be even (i.e if the first square is going from 0 to
5, then all squares should be going up by 5 as well)
● Use trial and error to find the best scale to use.
Start by going up by 1, if that doesn’t fit, then try 2, 5, 10 and so
on (don’t use weird numbers).
● It needs to fit into the space given.
STEP 5: Draw in the data
● use a little x or o to draw the data
● to find where to fit the data,
i) go across on the x-axis first to the number in the first column,
ii) then go up to the number in the second column.
x-axis
y-axis
0
0
10
15
● Draw a straight line of best fit (one straight line using a ruler
that goes through the middle of the data). We do not connect
the dots in science.