quick help with graphing

[kalilza]

okay, this is a pretty simple question. I learned how to do it once, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to make it work.

here is the problem:
I have two sets of data- elapsed time(x-axis) and velocity(y-axis) on a line graph
I can get it to graph, however I can't figure out how to change the scale of the x-axis (I can change the y-axis, but not the x-axis).....and I can't figure out what I am doing wrong.

also, I was supposed to put the x-axis data in one column and the y-axis data in another before I set up the graph, right?

any help would be appreciated as this is for a school project and I need to finish it ASAP.


also, is there any way, using excel, to find the area under a line graph?

[MrShorty]

Are you using a Line graph or an XY graph? The x-values in a Line graph are categories, and are not necessarily "scalable." Make sure you're using an XY plot where the x-values are treated as real numbers.

As for getting the area under the graph, to my knowledge Excel doesn't have that ability built into it. But Excel is certainly capable of the calculations necessary to obtain the area under the graph. Without seeing the actual data, I can't say for sure the best approach. If you know V(t) and can also come up with an anti-derivative for V(t), then you can make use of the fundamental theorom of calculus to determine the area under the curve. If you don't have V(t), but can get a reasonable V(t) using curve fitting techniques, then you can use that V(t) to get the area under the curve. If your delta-t values are small enough (small enough depends on how curved V(t) is), then you can use Riemann sums to estimate the area under the curve.

Does that help?

[kalilza]

yes, it does help. thank you