Scatterplots

A scatterplot shows each individual as a single cross against a vertical axis (for the variable, Y) and a horizontal axis (for the other variable, X).

By convention, we call the variable on the vertical axis Y and the variable on the horizontal axis X.

Metabolic rate of mammals

The table below describes the lifespan and metabolic rate (measured in terms of oxygen consumption per gram of body weight) of various mammals.

Mammal Lifespan
(years)
Oxygen
(cubic cm/g/h)
Echidna
N American opossum
European hedgehog
E American mole
Little brown bat
Owl monkey
Squirrel monkey
Rhesus monkey
Chimpanzee
Man
Nine-banded armadillo
Rabbit
Ground squirrel
Golden hamster
Rat
Mouse
Guinea pig
Gray wolf
Red fox
Arctic fox
Raccoon
Cat
Asian elephant
Horse
Goat
Sheep
Cow
50.0
5.0
6.0
3.5
20.5
12.0
20.0
29.0
50.0
100.0
6.5
18.0
9.0
3.9
4.7
3.2
7.6
16.2
9.8
14.0
13.7
28.0
69.0
46.0
20.0
20.0
30.0
0.22
0.52
0.75
1.90
2.00
0.51
0.83
0.43
0.25
0.22
0.25
0.42
0.87
0.93
0.86
1.49
0.74
0.32
0.52
0.52
0.39
0.44
0.07
0.15
0.19
0.24
0.13

This is a bivariate numerical data set, with an additional label variable containing the names of the mammals.

Relationship between lifespan and metabolic rate

A scatterplot of the data is shown below.

Click on any of the crosses to help read that mammal's lifespan and metabolic rate. The general trend for longer-living mammals to have lower metabolic rates is evident from the downward-sloping cloud of points.