Time series chart

A time series is a list of numbers where each of those numbers has either a date or time
attached to it.
A scatter plot made from such data is a time series chart. In a time series chart, the
individual data points are joined up with straight lines from one data point to the next. It has
time (years, months, days, hours etc.) along the horizontal axis, and the data points
themselves are usually not shown.
This kind of graph is plotted to show if there is a trend in the way one variable (say the
fatalities on the mines) changes with time.

To draw a time series chart

1. Select the data set from the two columns and click on Scatter under insert
2. Choose the Scatter with Straight lines option (Number 5)
3. Click on layout to edit as follows:
a. To give the chart a meaningful title- Click on chart title, choose Above Chart
b. Give the vertical axis a meaningful title- Click on chart title, Click on axis title, Click on
primary vertical axis, Click on rotated title.
c. Ensure that your chart has both Major vertical and horizontal grid lines Click on gridline,
choose major horizontal and vertical gridlines.

Exercise 1
Below is a table with a time series of the annual production of coal in Zimbabwe during the
years 1989 to 2007. The figure for the amount of coal produced as a percentage of the amount
of coal produced in the year 2000.
This is called an index for 1989 is coal production in 1989 x 100% = 81%
Coal production in 2000
Draw a time series chart and answer the following questions

years
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007

COAL
81
79
80
79
82
88
92
93
98
100
99
100
99
99
105
109
109
109
110

1. How much coal was produced in the year 2 000

2. Describe the trend in the production of coal
3. Compare the production of coal after the year 2 000 and before
2 000

4. The table below shows the time series production of coal with that of gold. Add the gold
series to the coal time series chart
years
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007

COAL
81
79
80
79
82
88
92
93
98
100
99
100
99
99
105
109
109
109
110

GOLD
141
140
140
142
144
134
122
116
115
108
105
100
92
93
87
78
68
63
59

Adding a series to a time series chart. Steps:

(a) Draw a time series chart as before
(b) Click on the design ribbon and click on Select Data
(c) Click on the Add icon to add a new series and bring up
the Edit Series form
(d) Click on the red arrow under Series X values and then
select the cells under years and click on the arrow icon
again
(e) Click on the red arrow under the Series Y values and then
select the cells under Gold and click on the arrow icon again
(f) Type in the name Gold in the white blank space under
Series name at the top of the form. Then click on ok

5. Compare the trends in production of coal and gold

6. The curves for production of Coal and Gold cross in the year 2 000.
Does this mean
that the total production of coal and of gold was the same in the year 2000. Motivate your
answer
7. If the current trend continues in which year will the production of gold be half of what it
was in 2 000?

Exercise 2
1. The volume of concrete and that of steel used in the construction of a building over a eight
months period is shown in the table below. Make a time series of the data and describe and
compare the trend.
Month

Volume of concrete
3

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

m
2
15
20
30
56
7
15
5
10
16
16
20

2. Give practical explanations for this trend.

Volume of steel
m3
0
3
6
22
34
61
88
13
6
10
31
37