What is a scatter plot?

A scatter plot is like a fun game of connect-the-dots for data! It’s a type of graph that displays values for two different variables as points on a two-dimensional plane. Each point represents an observation and shows how much one variable is affected by another, which can reveal patterns, trends, and correlations. Imagine plotting the heights and weights of a group of friends – you might see that taller friends tend to weigh more! In real-world applications, scatter plots are used everywhere, from analyzing sports performance to studying climate change trends. For example, a scatter plot might help scientists visualize the relationship between carbon dioxide levels and global temperatures. By plotting these data points, researchers can quickly identify whether increases in CO2 correlate with rising temperatures, making it easier to communicate important findings to the public!