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Tables and graphs
Tables are a convenient format for recording and reporting data. They are arranged in columns and rows, often with headings for each. Once the raw data has been entered, calculations can be made such as averages and totals. Data set out in a table format lends itself well to the use of spreadsheets.
| Table 3 - Monthly rainfall (mm) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | Average | |
| January | 32 | 129 | 113 | 91.3 |
| February | 139 | 147 | 44 | 110.0 |
| March | 74 | 159 | 200 | 144.3 |
| April | 106 | 21 | 25 | 50.7 |
| May | 262 | 3 | 150 | 138.3 |
| June | 53 | 4 | 195 | 84.0 |
| July | 16 | 47 | 34 | 32.3 |
| August | 19 | 43 | 2 | 21.3 |
| September | 1 | 39 | 59 | 33.0 |
| October | 61 | 374 | 92 | 175.7 |
| November | 85 | 237 | 101 | 141.0 |
| December | 44 | 74 | 57 | 58.3 |
| Year Total | 892 | 1277 | 1072 | 1080.3 |
Table 3 above shows the monthly rainfall figures for the years 2003 to 2005. The rainfall was measured and recorded on a property on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. The right-hand column contains the average rainfall for each month over the three years. The bottom row shows the annual rainfall total for each year as well as the average total for the three years.
Reading and interpreting data from a graph can be difficult as a series of numbers need to be compared. A graph constructed from the table above provides a visual representation that can clearly show peaks, troughs and trends in the data.
Two common types of graph are the column graph and the line graph. Both types of graphs drawn from the data in Table 3 are shown in Figures 3 and 4.
Both graphs clearly show the monthly rainfall trends found in the table, although the actual figures can only be estimated. The key on the right hand side indicates which year is represented by each colour.
The line graph shows more clearly than the column graph the variations in rainfall between the years. However, line graphs can only be used when the data is sequential. In this case the sequence is across time. Where the data represents a set of unconnected events, such as average rainfall from a set of randomly chosen properties, a column graph should be used.
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