Piechart

A pie chart, also known as a circle chart, is a graphical method used to represent data as portions of a whole. It is composed of a circular slice divided into segments, where each segment corresponds to a specific category or data point. The size of each slice is proportional to the quantity it represents, making pie charts useful for visualizing relative percentages or proportions within a dataset.

Pie charts are commonly used in business, economics, and social sciences to illustrate the composition of data sets, such as market share distribution, demographic breakdowns, or budget allocations. They provide a quick visual reference for understanding the relative importance of each category, especially when there are a limited number of segments.

Creation of a pie chart requires selecting the categories, calculating their percentages relative to the total, and then representing those percentages as slices. The entire circle represents 100% of the data, with each slice's angle being proportional to its share of the total. Labels and color coding are often added to improve readability and distinguishability.

While pie charts are effective for displaying parts of a whole, they have limitations. They can become difficult to interpret accurately when there are many small slices or if differences between segments are minimal. They are best suited for datasets with a few major categories and where visual comparison of proportions is necessary.

Pie charts were popularized by computer software during the late 20th century and are included in most spreadsheet and data visualization tools. Despite some criticism for their potential to mislead, when used appropriately, pie charts remain a popular and intuitive data presentation method.