Data visualisation: showing patterns clearly — Computing, 11–13
Turn numbers into charts that help you see comparisons, changes, and patterns without hiding what the data says.
A picture made from data
Data visualisation uses position, length, colour, or shape to make information easier to compare. A table might list twelve temperatures, while a line chart can show their rise and fall at a glance. The picture is not decoration: it is a tool for noticing relationships in the numbers.
The problem it solves
A long list of numbers overloads your attention, even when it contains a useful pattern. Charts were developed to let people compare quantities and changes more quickly. But a visualisation also makes choices about scale, labels, and colour, so showing data clearly means helping the reader without quietly steering them.
Turning scores into a chart
A class records weekly recycling: 4, 7, 5, and 10 kilograms. First, put the weeks on the horizontal axis and kilograms on the vertical axis. Choose equal steps, such as 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Plot one point for each week and join them. Now you can see the dip in week three and the jump in week four.
A chart can mislead
A common mistake is to trust a chart just because it looks scientific. If an axis starts at 95 instead of 0, a small change from 100 to 101 can look enormous. This is a reasonable mistake because our eyes react to the drawn lengths first. Check the scale, units, labels, and missing data before deciding what the picture means.
Where it appears
You see data visualisation in weather forecasts, fitness apps, election reports, sports statistics, maps, and game dashboards. A good chart helps someone decide, such as whether energy use is rising or which route is quicker. People also use visualisations to communicate claims, so reading them carefully matters as much as making them.
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