What kind of graph is this? A pie chart?

Question

Besides a gross use of Comic Sans, what kind of graph is this? I've seen it used for population statistics before, but I don't know what it's called.

My first instinct was to just say "bullet chart" due to process of elimination. After researching what a bullet chart is, which includes thresholds and targets, I'm now leaning toward some kind of unorthodox pie chart since it's dealing solely of percentage makeup of the whole.

I'm still not convinced that this is simply called a "pie chart," but it's all I got.

what's the Q in the pic - 'what t is the following' - what's the 't' — JMP, Oct 08 '15 at 22:13
I think you are right and your reasoning is good. But I don't like calling it a pie chart either. — fleablood, Oct 08 '15 at 22:14
@JonMarkPerry Probably a typo if I had to guess judging by font-choice. This is the entire scope of the problem. — Taylor Lopez, Oct 08 '15 at 22:16
@JonMarkPerry Doesn't a scatter plot involve points on an X and Y axis? The positions of these colored squares seem insignificant. — Taylor Lopez, Oct 08 '15 at 22:24
In terms of functionality, I can't deny that it's most like a pie chart of the given options. — Taylor Lopez, Oct 08 '15 at 22:24
yes, but it's nothing like a pie chart, which look like pies. if you took a petri dish and placed some blotting paper on it it would look like that — JMP, Oct 08 '15 at 22:26
it also looks like unloading an Uzi into a wall, so I'm going with bullet chart — JMP, Oct 08 '15 at 22:28

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 08 '15 at 22:55

4

This is a Partition Chart which is similar in data structure to a Pie Chart.

Here's how you make it in excel -> http://peltiertech.com/ineffective-chart-partition-chart/

The squares of each colour correspond to a certain value. Aggregate these squares together and you've got a pie chart! The total number of squares is also a constant, like with Pie charts total slices together always make 360 degrees.

answered Oct 08 '15 at 22:55

Gaurav Ramanan

271

1

And you even found the source image! Well done, sir! – Taylor Lopez Oct 08 '15 at 23:18

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 08 '15 at 22:58

1

e) None of the previous ones.

The graph is a scatter plot of filled squares, also know as fragmented partition chart.

answered Oct 08 '15 at 22:58

Rosenthal

87

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 08 '15 at 22:53

I've given the question "+1" beacsue it led me to look up what exactly a bullet chart is. Like the questioner, I have now done a little research and am convinced that a bullet graph needs to show progress achieved towards a particular goal.

Moving on, let us consider the other possibilities.

Bar charts and line graphs (we seem to be using chart/graph as equivalents) should have a scale showing the variable and a scale showing the frequency. This chart has neither, so it's not one of them. Although it may be close to being a very badly drawn "stacked bar chart"...?

The key feature of a pie chart is that the area devoted to a particular attribute is proportional to the frequency of that attribute. Normally they are drawn as portions of a circle, but a pie could be rectangular, in which case a rectangular pie chart might be possible (although I have never seen one before).

This chart has the property that area seems to be proportional to frequency, so I would go for pie chart. It even has the percentages which some pie charts include.

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 08 '15 at 22:50

-1

IMHO it is a bar graph as seen from bird perspective

answered Oct 08 '15 at 22:50

z100

530

Maybe true. But not particularly helpful. Sorry. – Taylor Lopez Oct 09 '15 at 13:55

What kind of graph is this? A pie chart?

4 Answers4