We define a pie chart as a graphic circular graph diagrammatic presentation to measure and compare the relative sizes of various parts of data. We present statistical data during our meetings with clients or coworkers in our firm. We can deal with pie charts and explain them in many ways. The pie chart plays a vital role in our diagrammatic presentation. We use it to present a readily understandable visual summary of legitimate data.
What is Pie Chart
We know a pie chart because of its shape, which is like a pie or a circle. A pie chart represents the connections between many aspects of the data. One can predict simply by looking at the pie chart that provides a substantial or compact share of the overall data. William Playfair presents two pie charts in the statistical breviary of 1801; they are the oldest documented pie charts. The French engineer Charles Joseph Minard was the first to use it. In 1858, he employed pie charts to add three-dimensional information to maps.
Some authorities state that Florence Nightingale instituted it, although they were unaware of Playfair’s innovation. Nightingale was one of the first to use graphics to get crucial statistics to the reading public. A pie chart is a circular diagram with sections that depict proportion. The arc length of each sector in the pie chart is proportionate to the quantity it represents. A pie chart represents sectors, where each sector shows the relative size of each value. A pie chart serves as a data visualisation tool, and its use provides a piece of broad information. We can incorporate a pie chart that displays survey results.
What is the circumcision of pie charts?
It’s been known for a long time that pie charts aren’t the most accurate way to display data. We can use charts when the aggregate of all categories makes sense, such as when representing proportions. In scientific writing, pie charts are uncommon, and they are becoming increasingly common in business and economics. One logic for this could be that using area instead of length makes it more difficult to compare the sizes of elements in a chart. The data in both the pie chart and the bar chart are identical. Several entrepreneurs struggle to arrange the pieces in the pie chart by size, from large to tiny. When utilising a bar chart, it’s much easier to see the difference between bars that are very close in size.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of pie charts?
Advantages
- Pie data can summarise sizably voluminous data sets in visual form.
- Pie data is more visually appealing than other graph types.
- One can correct the calculations, and it is possible with pie data.
- It only takes a very little explanation.
- Due to its extensive use in business and the media, we can easily understand it.
Disadvantages
- Calculating precise numbers with pie data is difficult.
- We expect that many pie charts will need to show changes over time.
- A pie chart hardly presents vital assumptions, causes, effects, or trends.
- Pie chart manipulation results in false impressions.
What are the alternatives to Pie Charts?
- If you opt to distinguish between data sets, other charts and graphs may be a better option.
- You can add data labels and totals to the doughnut hole to make it simpler to compare segments.
- We can utilise bar graphs to show data by length to facilitate comparison and quantification.
- Presenting multiple slices at once or comparing different data in a single chart may be easier to read.
- Doughnut charts have the same circular form and functionality as pie charts, but they can display numerous datasets.
What is the Pie Chart Formula Calculation?
The pie chart is an essential way to represent data, containing distinct parts where every piece and region of a pie chart forms a portion of the overall. The sum of all the data packages is equal to 360°.
The total value of the pie is always 100 percent.
Follow the steps below to calculate the percentage for a pie chart:
- First, categorize the data
- Then, compute the total
- Divide them into categories and precisely convert them into percentages
- Lastly, calculate the degrees
You can calculate that the pie chart formula will be as
(Given Data/Total value of data) × 360°
How to Create a Pie Chart?
Assume a teacher polls his class of 50 students to determine their favorite sports:
Chess | Cricket | Hockey | Football | Swimming |
12 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
- Step 1:
- We can visualise the data using a pie chart, as mentioned below. It demystifies the portion size
Chess | Cricket | Hockey | Football | Swimming |
12 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
- Step 2: We can sum up all the values in the table to get the total.
In our case, the Total number of students is 50.
- Step 3: Next, divide each value by the total and multiply by 100 to get a percent:
Chess | Cricket | Hockey | Football | Swimming |
12/50100=24% | 15/50100=30% | 3/50100=6% | 10/50100=20% | 10/50100=20% |
- Next step no 4: To figure out how many degrees are needed for each “pie sector,” we’ll draw a full 360-degree circle and do the following maths. In a very easy way, you can calculate the central angle of each component = (Value of each component/sum of values of all the components)✕360°
Chess | Cricket | Hockey | Football | Swimming |
12/50360= 86.4 deg | 15/50360=108 deg | 3/50360=21.6 deg | 10/50360= 72 deg | 10/50360=72 deg |
- Step no 5: Draw a circle and use the protractor to measure the degree of each sector.
Conclusion
Pie chart is the representation of data in a circular and compact form. We also discussed certain advantages as well as disadvantages of using a pie chart which makes it unique. Pie chart also has extensive use in corporate life. Companies analyze their customer’s data using compact pie charts which help them to grow. Pie charts are also used by the government to calculate data like life expectancy, age of people in the nation, etc.