A Box and Whisker Chart is one of the graphs you can use to display data distribution in quartiles while highlighting mean and outlier attributes.
The graph is a simple and clear design, which eases interpretation.
Excel lacks Box and Whisker Charts. The only viable options are using other pricey data visualization tools or plotting the Chart manually. So, if your goal is to display data attributes, such as mean, outliers, and quartiles in your data, think beyond Excel.
We’re not advocating you do away with Excel.
The tested and proven option is downloading and installing a particular add-in into your Excel to access ready-to-go Box and Whisker Charts.
In this blog, you’ll learn:
Before delving right into the how-to guide, let’s address the following question:
Definition: A Box Plot is a visualization design that uses box plots to display insights into data.
The chart simplifies bulky and complex data sets into quartiles and averages. Also, you can use the chart to pinpoint outliers in your data. The Box Plot segments key variables in quarters or (quartiles).
The chart displays your data’s shape, variability, and center (or median) information. Also, you can leverage the chart to determine the skewness of data points.
The Box and Whisker Chart Excel simplifies bulky and complex data sets into quartiles and averages. Also, you can use the chart to pinpoint outliers in your data. The Box Plot segments key variables in quarters or (quartiles).
For instance, you can draw boxes to connect the first quartile to the third quartile. In this case, the boxes will represent the average values of key data points.
Whiskers are lines that identify values outside of the average data points. The highest and lowest variables in your data can be outliers, depending on their magnitude and frequency of occurrence.
A Box and Whisker Plot (also known as Box Plot) is a visualization design that uses Japanese candle shapes to display insights into data.
Use the chart if your goal is to display high-level insights, such as mean, quartiles, standard deviation, and median.
Take a look at the table below.
Can you provide reliable insights into the table below?
| Subjects | Male | Female |
| Chemistry | 54 | 2 |
| Physics | 45 | 5 |
| Mathematics | 35 | 15 |
| Computer | 36 | 14 |
| Chemistry | 38 | 20 |
| Physics | 52 | 15 |
| Mathematics | 28 | 20 |
| Computer | 58 | 15 |
| Chemistry | 47 | 12 |
| Physics | 30 | 20 |
| Mathematics | 41 | 21 |
| Computer | 52 | 18 |
| Chemistry | 48 | 12 |
| Physics | 35 | 15 |
| Mathematics | 62 | 8 |
| Computer | 56 | 29 |
| Chemistry | 27 | 13 |
| Physics | 79 | 21 |
| Mathematics | 75 | 15 |
| Computer | 55 | 25 |
Note the difference after visualizing the data.
For Male Data:
For Female data:
You can display data using horizontally or vertically oriented Box and Whisker Chart Excel.
How to create a Box and Whisker Chart should never be a stressful affair. Keep reading to discover more.
How to create a Box and Whisker chart in Excel should never consume your valuable time. Keep reading to learn more.
Excel is one of the go-to data visualization tools for many readers.
However, the data visualization tool does not natively support Box and Whisker Charts. In other words, you’ll never find this visualization design in Excel.
Well, you don’t have to do away with the spreadsheet app.
You can turn Excel into a reliable data visualization tool loaded with advanced charts by installing third-party apps, such as ChartExpo.
ChartExpo is an add-in you can easily install in your Excel.
With many ready-made and visually stunning visualizations, ChartExpo turns your complex, raw data into compelling easy-to-digest, visual renderings that tell the story of your data.
The cutting-edge application produces simple, ready-made, and visually stunning charts in excel with just a few clicks. Yes, ChartExpo generates ready-made Box and Whisker Chart Excel that’s amazingly easy to interpret.
In the coming section, you’ll get to see ChartExpo in action as a Box and Whisker Chart generator. You don’t want to miss this.
Let’s learn how to create a Box and Whisker Plot with the help of an example in Excel.
| Subjects | Male | Female |
| Chemistry | 54 | 2 |
| Physics | 45 | 5 |
| Mathematics | 35 | 15 |
| Computer | 36 | 14 |
| Chemistry | 38 | 20 |
| Physics | 52 | 15 |
| Mathematics | 28 | 20 |
| Computer | 58 | 15 |
| Chemistry | 47 | 12 |
| Physics | 30 | 20 |
| Mathematics | 41 | 21 |
| Computer | 52 | 18 |
| Chemistry | 48 | 12 |
| Physics | 35 | 15 |
| Mathematics | 62 | 8 |
| Computer | 56 | 29 |
| Chemistry | 27 | 13 |
| Physics | 79 | 21 |
| Mathematics | 75 | 15 |
| Computer | 55 | 25 |
Click here to install ChartExpo into your Excel. Once you’re done, follow the easy steps below.
To add additional details, such as the title in your chart, follow the steps below:
Now you have learned how to create a box and whisker chart in excel. It’s time for you to learn some uses of this chart.
Use Box and Whisker Chart Excel if you have multiple data sets from independent sources related to each other. Other practical uses of a Box and Whisker Chart Excel are highlighted below.
Mean is the usual average.
The formula to calculate the mean is:
ΣXi /N
N is the total number of elements in a set of data. And X is the data points present in the set of data. i is the position of the values.
Arrange your data in ascending order (from the smallest to the greatest number) to find the median. The element that resides in the center-most position is the median.
You can also use the following formula (N+1)/2 to find the position, where N is the number of elements in the data. If your data consists of an even number of elements, get two middle positions. The average of the two numbers is the median.
The median divides the Box and Whisker Chart into a lower half and an upper half.
The lower quartile is the middle value of the lower half, i.e., the element between the minimum number and the median.
Use the following formula to derive the lower quartile (N+1)/4.
The upper quartile is the middle value between the maximum number and the median.
The formula for deriving the upper quartile is (3N+3)/4. An even number of elements is 3N/4.
The maximum range is the highest value of a key variable in your data. On the other hand, the minimum range is the lowest value of a key data point.
Check out the advantages of the chart below:
If the median is in the middle of a Box and Whisker Chart Excel, and the whiskers are about the same, then the distribution is symmetric.
Conversely, if the median is closer to the bottom of the box and the whisker is shorter, then the distribution is positively skewed to the right.
Box Plots are commonly used within the business, research, and data analysis settings for data storytelling.
The visualization design is incredibly handy, especially if your goal is to display skew level, mean, outliers, and quartile insights. The chart is amazingly easy to read and interpret.
A Box and Whisker Chart Excel can provide you with high-level insights regarding the shape, variability, and center (or median) of your data.
Also known as Box and Whisker Charts, Box Plots are particularly useful for displaying data skewness.
A Box and Whisker Chart is a visualization design that displays data distribution in quartiles while highlighting mean and outlier attributes.
Besides, the Box and Whisker Chart Excel is straightforward to read and interpret due to its minimalist design.
Excel lacks Box and Whisker Charts. The only viable options are using other pricey data visualization tools or plotting the Chart manually.
Think beyond the spreadsheet application if you intend to display attributes, such as mean, outliers, and quartiles in your data.
So, what’s the solution?
We recommend installing third-party apps, such as ChartExpo, into your Excel to access ready-made Box and Whisker Charts.
ChartExpo is an add-in you can easily download and install in your Excel app. Besides, this tool comes loaded with insightful and easy-to-interpret Box Plots. You don’t need programming or coding skills to visualize your data using ChartExpo.
Sign up for a 7-day free trial today to access easy-to-interpret and ready-made Box and Whisker Charts.
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