TERMIUM Plus®

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ARITHMETIC CHART [1 record]

Record 1 1979-04-24

English

Subject field(s)
  • Statistical Graphs and Diagrams
CONT

Line graphs differ from each other by differences in scale rulings. The most commonly employed are the arithmetic and semilogarithmic rulings. (...) Arithmetically ruled graphs are designed to show changes in absolute amount. (...) Even when an arithmetic graph is properly constructed, it has severe limitations (...) [First], it is difficult to compare relative rates of change in the series. Second, when series that differ greatly in magnitude are compared, it frequently becomes difficult to determine the extent of the fluctuations in the series with the smaller values. Third, an arithmetic graph does not help the reader to determine whether one series of data is increasing or decreasing at a more rapid rate than other series on data that are plotted in the same field. (...) In order to overcome these limitations [one can] use semilogarithmic ruling rather than the conventional arithmetic ruling for line graphs.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Diagrammes et graphiques (Statistique)
DEF

Graphique obtenu en portant en abscisses et en ordonnées des longueurs proportionnelles aux grandeurs réelles à représenter.

CONT

Les graphiques arithmétiques rendent de grands services lorsqu'il s'agit de comparer des valeurs absolues (...) Les graphiques arithmétiques ne doivent pas être utilisés pour représenter les variations relatives, car ils les déforment; ils deviennent inutilisables quand il s'agit de représenter des variations qui, très petites à l'origine, deviennent considérables par la suite. Il faut alors les remplacer par des graphiques logarithmiques ou semi-logarithmiques.

Spanish

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