Data Analysis with Microsoft Excel: Updated for Office 2007

436 Statistical Methods

4 Remove the legend from the chart.

5 Add the chart title Average Global Temperature. Set the x axis title

to Decade and the y axis title to Temperature (F).

6 Change the number format of the values on the y axis to one decimal

place. Figure 11-4 shows the formatted scatter chart.

Figure 11-4

Average

temperature

by decade

The chart clearly shows a minor dip in the decade average from 1940 to

1960 after which there is a steady increase in global temperature up through

the decade of the 2000s.

Analyzing the Change in Global Temperature

The changes in the temperature average from year to year are important.

Your next step in examining these values is to analyze annual average tem-

perature change.

To calculate the change in the annual average temperature:

1 Click the Temperature sheet tab to return to the data.

2 Click cell E1, type Change, and then press Enter.