Bar chart

A bar chart is a chart with rectangular bars of lengths usually proportional to the magnitudes or frequencies of what they represent.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sometimes the bars are not proportional, often because the chart didn't start at zero.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Standards about starting a chart at zero are not universal. In some case, starting at zero will show little differences between the bars, such as for stock indexes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If it doesn't start at zero, that can be misleading. Mathematicians will usually signal any chart that doesn't start at zero, such as by using a squiggly line near the bottom of the y-axis.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The bars can be horizontally or vertically oriented. Sometimes a stretched graphic is used instead of a solid bar.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~