Ms. Keever's Science Classes
There is a $20 lab fee for all science lab classes. Fees can be paid by cash or check (payable to Butler High School). Fees must be paid for supplies to be purchased so students to participate in lab.
Creating Graphs Using Excel
In this activity you will learn the basic procedure for constructing graphs using Excel.
 | You will construct three graphs. Follow the step-by-step instructions on this page. |
| When done with this page, click on the link at the bottom to go to the next assignment. |
| There are three assignments in all. |
The best way to utilize this tutorial is to resize the window to fill half the screen and to open Excel and resize it to fill the other half of the screen. Raise your hand if you need help doing this. -- Ms. K.
Graph # 1
Step 1. Enter the data to be graphed. Open Excel and enter the data below into the spreadsheet. Use cells A1 through A7 for the Position data and cells B1 through B7 for the Time data. (This data was collected while experimenting with position and time of a miniature motorized car traveling on a straight track.)
|
A |
B |
|
|
1 |
Position (meters) | Time (minutes) |
| 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 15 | 5 |
| 4 | 30 | 10 |
| 5 | 45 | 15 |
| 6 | 60 | 20 |
| 7 | 75 | 25 |
Step 2. Highlight the data to be graphed. To do this place your cursor on cell A2, hold down the left mouse button, and move the cursor down to cell B7. Release the mouse button. The selected cells should have a blinking dotted line around them. Do NOT highlight the labels. Those are there for you to keep track of your data only.
Step 3. Click on the
Chart Wizard. This is the button at the top of
Excel : 
From the Chart Wizard box
select XY Scatter and then click on the second
subtype, "scatter with data points connected with smoothed
lines". Click on Next.
Now the Chart Wizard box shows you what your graph will look like.
What type of relationship is this, direct or inverse? Why?
Click on Next. You now are on a screen that will allow you to enter labels for your graph.
Step 4. Label your graph. Give the graph the title of "Motorized Car Movement".
The X axis should be labeled the same thing as the A column on the spreadsheet - Position (meters).
The Y axis should be labeled the same thing as the B column - Time (minutes).
Click Next.
Step 5. Put the graph on your spreadsheet. Click on the button "As object in". Click on the button Finish. Your graph should now show up on your spreadsheet.
You can now click on it and resize it or move it around on the spreadsheet to your liking. One thing you should do: Click on the "Series One" text to highlight it and hit the delete key on your keyboard. It is not needed.
Step 6. Print your graph. Click on your graph so it is highlighted (it will have little black boxes around its perimeter). Click on the print icon at the top of Excel. Your graph will print. Since everyone in the class has the same graph, it will be hard to tell which one is yours. So.... do this:
Enter your name in cell C1. Then highlight the entire area of the spreadsheet that includes your graph by going to the cell to the bottom right of your graph, clicking on it, holding the mouse button, and going to the top left of the spread sheet. The area should turn blue.
Go to File --> Print Area --> Set Print Area and Click. Now click on the print icon. Your data, name, and graph should all print out at once.
