DRAWING GRAPHS WITH EXCEL

PIE CHARTS
1.

In this exercise we will learn how to draw a Pie Chart using Excel.

2.

A Pie Chart is very useful when dealing with data which is in the
form of percentages, or which can be put into percentages.

3.

We will also learn how to put data into order to make the pie charts
easier to read.

Instructions
1.

Start a new Excel workbook in the normal way.

2.

Enter the data from the table below into your spreadsheet. It shows
the main Greenhouse Gases, i.e. the gases thought to be
responsible for global warming. Dont include the 'Gas' and '%'.

3.

Gas

Carbon
dioxide

Methane

Nitrous
oxide

CFCs

72

10

13

Your spreadsheet should now look like this: to fit the names in, try
moving the slider between cells A and B.

Drag the slider

to widen the
cell.

Note: You can enter data in the spreadsheet vertically, as above, or horizontally. In
this example you could use the first two rows or first two columns.

4.

Highlight the data, then click on the Chart Wizard and select Pie
from the list shown in Standard Types. Now select the first of the
six choices shown. Lastly, click Next to display your graph.

Click
Next
again to
move on
to the next
window.

Choose
Pie, subtype 1
and click
Next.

5.

Now you can add a title and other information.

Add the title
Greenhouse
Gases, then
click the Data
Labels button
and select
Percentage.
Then click
Next again.

6.
Select As new
sheet and
click Finish.

The
finished
pie chart.

7.

Want to try some advanced techniques? Your challenge is to

change your pie chart so that it looks like the one below.
TOP TIP place your cursor arrow exactly on the feature you wish to
change and double click the left mouse button to open up a new screen
which allows you to make the changes. This is difficult, so concentrate and
be prepared to get there by trial and error!
1. Increase the font size of the title to 20, change
it to Bookman Old Style (bold) and underline it.

2.
Delete
the

3. Add the data labels (Clue: double click inside

the circle) and increase the font size of labels to 14.

Dont be afraid to experiment if you do something

wrong, you can always use the Undo command.

Putting the data into Order

8.

It is usually better to put the data in a pie chart into ascending or

descending order, so that each slice of the pie chart is bigger than
the previous one as you go clockwise round the pie chart (or
smaller it is a matter of personal taste). The table, spreadsheet
and pie chart below show the percentages of refugees from
different continents.

Continent Europe
%

9.

13

Latin
North Australasia
America America
1

Africa

Asia

47

33

However, the pie chart is rather confusing. To make it clearer we

need to sort the data. To do this, firstly highlight the data in the
spreadsheet; secondly, select Sort from the Data menu and change
the Sort by option to Column B; finally, click OK.

Data
menu
button

Select
Column B
and
Descending
in the Sort
by window.

10.

The table of data is now sorted and a clearer pie chart can be made.
Note how each slice of the pie decreases in size as you go
clockwise around the circle.

The data is
now sorted
into
descending
order.

11. You may prefer to sort the data into ascending order: if you do, the
pie chart slices will increase in size in a clockwise direction.

Using data which is not in percentages

11.

On many occasions in Geography, data will not be in the form of

percentages but this is what we want to see in the pie chart. No
problem! Excel will show both the original figure and also the
percentage figure for you.

12.

Example: This table shows the land use of a farm in Scotland.

Each land use occupies a certain number of hectares (ha) an area
equal to 100 metres x 100 metres about the same as two football
pitches. Make a pie chart of the information. When you reach step
3 of the chart wizard, go to the tab data labels and tick the box
for value and percentage.

Land Use

Area (ha)

Wheat

65

Barley

53

Potatoes

27

Grass

19

Farm buildings and roads

Total Farm size

165 ha

13.

It should look something like this!

Further work now try these pie chart exercises:

14.

Make a Black and White pie chart of these figures. They show the
type of vegetation cover in an area. (Clue: choose B&W Pie from
the Custom Types option.) Make sure to give your graph a title.

Vegetation

Coniferous
forest

Deciduous
forest

Mixed
woodland

Moorland

28

39

21

12

15.

This time, use these figures to make an exploded pie with a 3D

visual effect. No clues you work it out! The figures show the
sources of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) emissions in Britain in 1990.

Source

16.

Power Industry
Road
Domestic Commercial Other
stations
transport
and public transport
services
34

26

19

14

Finally, you have to make a pie chart of this data, but it must first
be put into descending order. Try to do this using the computer.
The data shows the goods which Nigeria imports from other
countries. Show it as an Exploded Pie chart you have to find this
option for yourself. Remember to tick both the value and
percentage data labels.

Nigerias
Imports

Machinery

Foods

Chemicals

Others

Cars

Cost million

800

500

600

800

300