How to plot graph (newbie)

[Lamb Chop]

I have some data that need to plot a graph.

A column:
X is the dates e.g. (2000-12-25) (already in date format)


B column:
Y is some numbers

Can you tell me how to plot a graph in excel. I have tried but it gives me
something very strange?

(I can plot graphs with x and y are both numbers but if one of them is date,
I have problem)

Thanks

 

[David Biddulph]

Might be easier for us to help if you were to tell us what has gone wrong,
rather more specifically than "something very strange" and "I have problem".
You also haven't told us what sort of graph. I'll assume XY graph.
The easiest way to help Excel to produuce your graph is to ensure that there
is a label immediately above your Y data in column B, but no label above
your X data in column A. Select the range including your data, the Y label,
& the blank cell in the top left-hand corner. Insert/ Chart/ XY/ and go on
through.

 

[Jon Peltier]

Make sure also that the dates are numerical, not merely text. Make the
column lots wider than the contents, select the column, and go to Format
menu > Selected Cells > Alignment, and under Horizontal choose General. If
the cells are right aligned then they are numerical.

If they are not numerical, select the column, go to Data menu > Text to
Columns, and step through to where you can tell the wizard how the text is
arranged (y-m-d it looks like), and when the text is converted to a column,
it will be interpreted as numerical dates.

- Jon