Ternary diagram
Also called: Triangular graph · Topic: Graphical Representation of Data and Thematic Maps · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
A ternary diagram, or triangular graph, is a triangle used for data with three parts that always add up to 100%. Each side of the triangle is a scale for one part. Each item becomes a single point inside the triangle, and its position shows the mix of all three parts. Items with similar mixes sit close together, so groups and types are easy to spot.
Example
The soil texture triangle plots the shares of sand, silt and clay. A sample of alluvial soil from the Ganga plain falls in the loam zone, because it has a balanced mix of the three. A country's workforce split among the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors can be plotted the same way.
Don't confuse with
- Pie diagram: this also shows the parts of a total, but only one total per circle. A ternary diagram can place many three-part totals as points on one triangle, so they can be compared.