Donut charts are a type of pie chart that is used to show how a part of a whole is divided into segments. They are similar to pie charts, but the segments of a donut chart are typically displayed as parts of a ring. This type of chart is often used to show data that is divided into categories.
Donut charts are displayed in a circular, donut-like format. It can be used to compare data sets or to show how a particular data set changes over time when using multiple donut charts over the long term. Donut charts are especially useful for data that is broken down by category because each slice of the donut can be labeled with the category and a numerical proportion. Now that you know the answer to, “What is a donut chart?” you can now learn more about when to use it and why.
How to Read a Donut Chart
Donut charts are similar to pie charts but have a hole in the middle to represent the portion of the data that is not accounted for. Donut charts are used to show how a part of a whole is divided into different categories.
To read a donut chart, start by looking at the size of the donut chart’s hole. This will give you an idea of how much of the data is accounted for. Next, look at the size of the different slices of the donut chart. This will give you an idea of how the data is divided. Finally, look at the data represented by each slice to understand the individual categories and their value.
Benefits of Using Donut Charts
The hole in the middle allows for clear visualization of the data. It is one of the simplest ways to visualize data simply because categories are grouped into slices. Donut charts are also very effective at highlighting the central trend or point in the data. They are very easy to read, and they can be used to compare data sets.
Since it highlights different categories, the size of each piece communicates the proportion of every category. For example, if you use a donut chart for inventory purposes, this can be easily done by writing down all the inventory.
Let’s say that you have 20 apples, 15 oranges, six bananas, and four pineapples. When you enter these into a chart, the longest arc will belong to the slice with 20 apples. The shortest arc of the ring will be for the four pineapples. This can be utilized in sales and marketing, as well as many other industry applications.
How to Make a Donut Chart
A donut chart is a circular chart with a hole in the middle. The hole makes it easier to focus on the size of the slice. Donut charts need a dimension to represent the attribute and a second dimension to represent value.
To create a donut chart in Google Sheets, first, create a table with the data you want to display. Next, select the data you want to include in the donut chart and insert a donut chart by clicking the “Insert” tab and selecting “Donut chart” from the Charts section.
Google Sheets will automatically create the donut chart based on the data in the table. You can customize the chart by changing the colors, adding labels, and adjusting the size and position.
Similarity to Pie Charts
A donut chart, also known as a doughnut chart or torus chart, is a graphical representation of data that is similar to a pie chart but has a hole in the middle. Pie charts can be confusing because one can confuse the area of each slice with the entire pie. With the donut hole, the user can focus on the length of the arc instead of the total area the pie represents.
As you can see, there are many applications for donut charts.
