How can trends be identified using Excel charts?

Creating line charts to show data points over a period is an effective way to identify trends because line charts visually connect data points with continuous lines, allowing for easy observation of changes over time. This visual representation helps in recognizing patterns, whether they are increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable. When analyzing time-series data, such as sales figures over months or years, a line chart clearly illustrates how values change, making it simple to spot upward or downward trends.

Bar charts, while useful for comparing discrete categories, do not effectively convey trends over time because they focus on individual data points without showing their progression. Pie charts are designed to show proportions of a whole, making them ineffective for identifying trends, as they do not provide a timeline. Scatter plots highlight correlations between two variables but are not ideal for displaying trends over time, as they do not inherently show the sequential flow of data. Overall, line charts are the most suitable option for tracking and identifying trends in data over an extended period.