scatter plot question

[Guest]

I have office 2003. I am using xy scatter plot with sub type data points
connected by smoothed lines. My problem is the point that should be the
highest in the graph is actually not. The line always ascend alittle higher
next to the highest dadum point and then descend. How do you fix this?
thanks!

 

[Jon Peltier]

Fix it by not using the smoothing option on the lines. The smoothing is an
artificial fitting, not reflecting the actual data, but only looking pretty.

- Jon

 

[Guest]

But I need to use smooth graph because it looks better, and are there any
ways? thanks.

 

[David Biddulph]

"Jon Peltier" wrote:

But I need to use smooth graph because it looks better, and are there any
ways? thanks.

If you insist on using smoothed lines and you don't like Excel's algorithm,
you could always generate your own smoothing algorithm, imposing whichever
constraints you wish to apply. The other point if you must insist on using
smoothed lines is to make sure you plot the points themselves, rather than
just the lines between (and preferably make the line dotted to show how
imaginary it is).

 

[Jon Peltier]

It looks prettier because it misrepresents your data, which is what prompted
you to start this thread.

- Jon