Adding a second data series to compare groups

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. You have a column chart showing Maths marks. You want to compare Maths with English on the same chart. What should you do?

A Delete the chart and make a pie chart

B Add a second series using Select Data

2. What does a legend do on a chart with two series?

A Shows which colour or line matches each group

B Tells you the highest value in the chart

3. Which chart type shows two groups side by side for each category?

A Clustered columns

B A pie chart with one slice

4. You want to compare daily Max and Min temperatures over a week. Which is the better choice?

A A line chart with two lines, one for Max and one for Min

B A line chart with only the Max line

5. Where do you click to add another set of values to an existing chart?

A Sort, then Filter

B Select Data, then Add series

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Select Data > Add series		AWithout a legend, viewers cannot tell which colour is which group. Turn the legend back on, or label each series clearly.
2Clustered column chart		BSeries name: =Sheet1!$C$1
3A series name tells the legend which group a set of values belongs to.		CSeries values: =Sheet1!$C$2:$C$9
4A second line on a line chart needs its own range of values, such as Year 8 scores in column C.		DBoth series use the same column, so the chart shows two identical lines. The second series needs its own column, such as C2:C9.
5Series 2 values: =Sheet1!$B$2:$B$9 (Series 1 is also B2:B9)		EAdds a second set of values to an existing chart so two groups can be compared on the same axes.
6Two series added, but the legend is deleted		FShows two series as side-by-side columns for each category, so the groups are easy to compare.

Definitions

Add series

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

=SERIES(B1,A2:A9,B2:B9,1) =______(C1,A2:A9,C2:C9,2)

=SERIES(C1,A2:A9,_____,2)

=SERIES(C1,A2:A9,C2:C9,_)

=SERIES(__,A2:A9,C2:C9,2)

=SERIES(C1,_____,C2:C9,2)

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A chart = new Chart("line")

B chart.addSeries("Year 7")

C chart.addSeries("Year 8", C2:C6)

D chart.legend = "on"

Question 2

A chart = new Chart("column")

B chart.addSeries("Boys", B2:B5)

C chart.addSeries("Girls", B2:B5)

D chart.legend = "on"

Question 3

A chart = new Chart("pie")

B chart.addSeries("Cats", B2:B8)

C chart.addSeries("Dogs", C2:C8)

D chart.legend = "on"

Question 4

A Right-click the chart

B Choose Format Axis

C Click Add under Legend Entries

D Pick the new series range

Question 5

A chart = new Chart("column")

B chart.addSeries("2023", B2:B5)

C chart.addSeries("2024", C2:C5)

D chart.legend = "off"

E chart.title = "Sales by year"

Answer Key

Adding a second data series to compare groups

Section A: Quick Questions

B — Add a second series using Select Data

A — Shows which colour or line matches each group

A — Clustered columns

A — A line chart with two lines, one for Max and one for Min

B — Select Data, then Add series

Section B: Match the Pairs

Select Data > Add series → Adds a second set of values to an existing chart so two groups can be compared on the same axes.

Clustered column chart → Shows two series as side-by-side columns for each category, so the groups are easy to compare.

A series name tells the legend which group a set of values belongs to. → Series name: =Sheet1!$C$1

A second line on a line chart needs its own range of values, such as Year 8 scores in column C. → Series values: =Sheet1!$C$2:$C$9

Series 2 values: =Sheet1!$B$2:$B$9 (Series 1 is also B2:B9) → Both series use the same column, so the chart shows two identical lines. The second series needs its own column, such as C2:C9.

Two series added, but the legend is deleted → Without a legend, viewers cannot tell which colour is which group. Turn the legend back on, or label each series clearly.

Section C: Definitions

Add series — Adds a second set of values to a chart so two groups can be compared on the same axes, with a legend to tell them apart.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

=SERIES(B1,A2:A9,B2:B9,1)
=SERIES(C1,A2:A9,C2:C9,2)

=SERIES(C1,A2:A9,C2:C9,2)

Section E: Spot the Error

B — The series has no range, so the chart has no values to plot. It should be chart.addSeries("Year 7", B2:B6).

C — The Girls series uses the same range as Boys (column B), so both series show identical bars. Girls should use C2:C5.

A — A pie chart shows only one series, so it can't compare two groups. Use a line (or column) chart: new Chart("line").

B — Format Axis only changes how an axis looks. To add a second series you need Select Data.

D — With the legend off, nobody can tell which columns are 2023 and which are 2024. The legend should be "on".