Compound bar diagram
Also called: Component bar diagram, Divided bar diagram · Topic: Graphical Representation of Data and Thematic Maps · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 3 "Graphical Representation of Data"
Meaning
A compound bar diagram, also called a component bar diagram or divided bar diagram, shows a total as one bar. The bar is cut into smaller rectangles, one for each part. Each part has its own shade. The full bar shows the total, and the pieces show how that total is made up. It is useful when you want to see both the total and its parts, and how they change over time.
Example
NCERT shows India's gross electricity generation, split into thermal, hydro and nuclear power. The total grew from 741.2 billion kWh in 2008-09 to 844.8 billion kWh in 2010-11 (Economic Survey 2011-12). Each year's bar is divided into the three sources.
Don't confuse with
- Multiple bar diagram: in a multiple bar diagram, each variable gets its own separate bar standing next to the others. In a compound bar diagram, the parts are stacked inside one bar.
- Pie diagram: this also shows the parts of a total, but as slices of a circle, and usually for only one total.