Excel X-Y scatter not showing correct x values

Question

I have an x-y scatter plot and the x-axis data is from 1.5 to 3.5.  However, Excel added data to the x-axis that isn't there at all - starting from 0 and ending on 4 (instead of 1.5 to 3.5 as the x-data clearly contains).    Can this be fixed?

Thanks,

Lexi

Answer 1

If any of the data for the X axis is text that looks like a number (instead of being true numerical values), then Excel will substitute 1,2,3,... for the horizontal axis.

To repair the chart, you could enter the numbers explicitly.

Answer 2

x-data isn't text - Excel isn't substituting numbers - it is extending the range.

Answer 3

When you have a question like that, it behooves you to provide an example in some form.  At a minimum, a screenshot.  Even better, the URL of an example Excel file uploaded to a file-sharing website.

I suspect that you mean something like the following:

Excel did not really "add data to the x-axis".  The only data are the 5 y-values associated with the 5 x-values that I highlighted in A2:B6.

But Excel did extend the x-axis from 0 to 4.  And it did extend the y-axis from 0 to 18, beyond my y-values of 9.5 to 15.5.

That is just a default formatting choice, just as Excel usually defaults to General for numeric cells and displays up to 9 or 10 significant digits, depending on the cell width.

For the chart, the remedy is to modify the format.

For example, right-click the x-axis (numbers 0 to 4), click Format Axis, and change Minimum and Maximum by clicking Fixed (instead of Auto) and filling in the values that you want, perhaps 1.5 and 3.5.

Do something similar for the y-axis.

Note that there are many other formatting options that you might need to modify in order to get the appearance that you want.

Answer 4

Hi Lexi,

Haven't heard from you for a few days, could you tell us the latest progress about this issue?

I think you may have a try of the suggestion shared by joeu2004, feel free to leave a reply if you have further concerns about this problem.

*Refer to this article: Share OneDrive files and folders. To protect your privacy, we suggest you make a copy of the affected workbook, delete the irrelevant data and replace the remaining personal information with sample data, then upload the workbook to your personal OneDrive and put a personal OneDrive shared link in your reply.

*You may also click the Insert image button to upload some screenshots.

We appreciate your understanding.

Best Regards,

Hugo

Answer 5

Hi Hugo Liang MSFT,

I'm fairly sure I did something similar to what joeu2004 had suggested.  I was in the middle of work and needed to move on - which I did.  However, I forgot to check back here.   But, thanks for all your help.

-Lexi