The Pie Chart

Pie Chart
A pie chart is a round graph that represents a specific item.  Each section of the pie is divided to show a certain quantity.

Examples

Using a pie chart to divide a year by quarters

This pie chart represents 2010 sales, in millions of dollars.  Each section of the pie represents a quarter.  So, in the first quarter there was $15 million in sales, in the second quarter there was $5 million in sales and so on.


Using a Pie Chart to show a division of 100%

This pie chart represents the favorite color for 100 participants.  There are five different pies, each representing a category.  In this type of pie chart, each section of the pie should equal 100%.


Using a pie chart to show characteristics of a unified (related) group

This pie chart represents the entire product line for company ABC.  Additionally, this pie chart seperates each product by their market share. 

There are many different styles available in both the usage and design of the pie chart.  Make sure you use the pie chart in a manner that shows your audience the data in an easy to understand format.