---
id: 695b9093a0c45b36932dcbca
title: What Are Common Chart Types and When Should You Use Them?
challengeType: 19
dashedName: what-are-common-chart-types-and-when-should-you-use-them
---

# --description--

There are many ways to represent data in a visual format. In this lesson, you will learn about a few commonly used types of data visualizations.

The first type you will learn about is charts that represent change over time, like stock price performance or health statistics.

<img src="https://cdn.freecodecamp.org/curriculum/lecture-transcripts/what-are-common-chart-types-and-when-should-you-use-them-1.png" alt="example area chart">

Another common type of visual would be a category comparison chart. This type of visual shows comparisons between different categories, such as ad performance across marketing channels, or sales by product category for online stores.

<img src="https://cdn.freecodecamp.org/curriculum/lecture-transcripts/what-are-common-chart-types-and-when-should-you-use-them-2.png" alt="example bubble chart for marketing channel performance leads">

If you needed to represent an item's position in an ordered list, you could use a ranking chart. Examples of this type of visual would include performance statistics or election results.

<img src="https://cdn.freecodecamp.org/curriculum/lecture-transcripts/what-are-common-chart-types-and-when-should-you-use-them-3.png" alt="example ranking chart for election results">

Another commonly used type of data visualization would be a part of the whole visual. This would include pie charts or treemaps that could be used to represent budgets or product categories.

<img src="https://cdn.freecodecamp.org/curriculum/lecture-transcripts/what-are-common-chart-types-and-when-should-you-use-them-4.png" alt="example pie chart for budget">

If you are working with data that shows a correlation between two or more variables, you can use a correlation chart. These types of charts would include heat maps or scatterplots that could represent data such as income vs. education level, advertising spend vs. sales, or temperature vs. energy consumption.

<img src="https://cdn.freecodecamp.org/curriculum/lecture-transcripts/what-are-common-chart-types-and-when-should-you-use-them-5.png" alt="example scatterplot for income vs. education level">

There are many more types of charts like flow charts, distribution charts, relationship charts and more. But this lesson was about providing you with a brief introduction into some of the types of charts you might consider when representing complex data.

# --questions--

## --text--

What is a good real-world example of using a chart to show changes over time?

## --answers--

Example budget breakdowns for different categories.

### --feedback--

Review the first part of the lesson for the answer.

---

Comparing sales performances in different categories.

### --feedback--

Review the first part of the lesson for the answer.

---

Displaying the market share distribution.

### --feedback--

Review the first part of the lesson for the answer.

---

Stock price performances or health statistics.

## --video-solution--

4

## --text--

Which of the following types of charts can be used to show ad performance across channels in marketing or sales by product category for online stores?

## --answers--

Distribution chart

### --feedback--

Think about the type to best show comparisons.

---

Category comparison chart

---

Relationship chart

### --feedback--

Think about the type to best show comparisons.

---

Flow chart

### --feedback--

Think about the type to best show comparisons.

## --video-solution--

2

## --text--

Which of the following is NOT a common type of chart used in data visualization?

## --answers--

Relationship chart

### --feedback--

One of these is part of a plant and not a type of data visualization chart.

---

Correlation chart

### --feedback--

One of these is part of a plant and not a type of data visualization chart.

---

Twig chart

---

Flow chart

### --feedback--

One of these is part of a plant and not a type of data visualization chart.

## --video-solution--

3
