Table Of Contents

Graph IDE ► Composites ► Trends

A trend is a fit to 2D data points. The fit is a 2D linear regression which shows as a dashed curve by default. The following figure shows the Legend example with a trend curve for each scatter graphic.

Because the default trend graphics are not bold enough for this particular graph, they are altered in the following figure. Noticed how the legend entries are reversed ordered as well. All the alterations were made using Standard Editing techniques.

To make trends follow these steps:

• Drag out a Graph. Double click within the graph frame to focus on the graph's data layer.

• Add Data Graphics to the graph data layer.

• Click the menu item Tools ► Make Trends. Trend curves will be placed in the data layer of the graph.

• You can work with the trend curves as you would any graphic.

Trend curves instantiate as Function graphics. They are computed by least squares and are hence a line in a rectilinear coordinate system. However, that line maps to a curve in non-linear coordinates and hence the word curve instead of line when describing a trend.