STATGRAPHICS – Rev.

6/12/2005

X-Y-Z Plot

Summary
The X-Y-Z Plot procedure plots the data in three numeric columns to illustrate the relationship
between them. The points may be coded according to the value of a fourth variable or connected
by a line if sequential. If the points represent averages, standard error bars may be added to
illustrate the uncertainty in X, Y, and/or Z.

Sample StatFolio: xyzplot.sgp

Sample Data:
The file 93cars.sf3 contains information on 26 variables for n = 93 makes and models of
automobiles, taken from Lock (1993). The table below shows a partial list of 6 columns from
that file:

Make Model MPG Highway Weight Horsepower Passengers

Acura Integra 31 2705 140 5
Acura Legend 25 3560 200 5
Audi 90 26 3375 172 5
Audi 100 26 3405 172 6
BMW 535i 30 3640 208 4
Buick Century 31 2880 110 6
Buick LeSabre 28 3470 170 6
Buick Roadmaster 25 4105 180 6
Buick Riviera 27 3495 170 5
Cadillac DeVille 25 3620 200 6
Cadillac Seville 25 3935 295 5
Chevrolet Cavalier 36 2490 110 5

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Data Input
The data to be analyzed consist of three numeric columns containing n = 2 or more pairs of
observations.

• Z : numeric column containing data to be plotted on the vertical axis.

• X: numeric column containing data to be plotted on the horizontal axis.
• Y : numeric column containing data to be plotted on the axis extending back into the
screen.
• Select: subset selection.

Analysis Summary
The Analysis Summary shows the number of pairs of observations plotted.

X-Y-Z Plot - MPG Highway vs. Weight and Horsepower

X variable: Weight
Y variable: Horsepower
Z variable: MPG Highway

93 values

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 STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 6/12/2005

Scatterplot

The Scatterplot plots each row of data values.

Plot of MPG Highway vs Weight and Horsepower

MPG Highway

50
45
40
35
30
25 300
250
200
20 150
100
1600 2100 2600 50
3100 3600 4100 0
4600 Horsepower
Weight

Pane Options

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 STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 6/12/2005

• Point codes: column containing identifiers used to code the points.

• Std. Error X: column containing standard errors in the X direction for each point
plotted.
• Std. Error Y: column containing standard errors in the Y direction for each point
plotted.
• Std. Error Z: column containing standard errors in the Z direction for each point plotted.
• Plot: select Points to plot point symbols for each observation and Lines to connect the
points.
• Connect By: indicate the order to connect the points when plotting Lines.
• Reference Lines: specify a surface of the cube to which lines will be drawn from each
point. This can be helpful in adding depth perception to the plot.

The Point Codes option is used to illustrate groupings of the data, such as the number of
cylinders in each vehicle’s engine:

Plot of MPG Highway vs Weight and Horsepower

Cylinders
3
4
MPG Highway

50
5
45
6
40
8
35
30
25 300
250
200
20 150
100
1600 2100 2600 50
3100 3600 4100 0
4600 Horsepower
Weight

The Std. Error fields are used to plot error bars around each point, often used when the points
represent averages. For example, the table below shows the sample means and standard errors
calculated by the Oneway ANOVA procedure for the 93 automobiles grouped by number of
passengers:

# Count Mean Stnd error Mean Stnd Mean Stnd error

Cylinders MPG MPG weight error Horsepower Horsepower
Highway Highway Weight
3 3 43.3333 3.75648 1901.67 105.883 66 5.56776
4 49 31.449 0.587614 2710 53.2269 113.469 3.93799
5 2 24.5 3.5 3602.5 357.5 138.5 29.5
6 31 25.3226 0.445738 3559.19 47.5723 175.581 5.80726
8 7 25.0 0.534522 3835.71 92.2886 234.714 20.5713

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 STATGRAPHICS – Rev. 6/12/2005
To display the data, create an X-Y Plot of Mean MPG Highway versus Mean Weight and
complete the Pane Options dialog box as shown below:

The resulting plot shows the means for each group, together with an indication of the sampling
error in each direction:

Plot of MPG Highway vs Mean weight and Horsepower

# Cylinders
3
4
MPG Highway

50
5
45
6
40
8
35
30
25 300
250
200
20 150
100
1700 2100 2500 50
2900 3300 3700 0
4100 Horsepower
Mean weight

The smaller samples, such as the 3 and 5 cylinder automobiles, have more uncertainty associated
with them as indicated by the long standard error bars.

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Draftsman’s Plot
The Draftsman’s Plot provides a top, front and side view of the data displayed in the cube shown
above.

Horsepower
MPG Highway
Draftsman's Plot

Weight Horsepower

Each of the 3 sections shows a scatterplot of 2 of the 3 variables. The plots can also be thought of
as projections onto the bottom, back, and left sides of the cube.

Casement Plot
The Casement Plot shows a sequence of scatterplots for the X and Y variables within groups
defined by values of the Z variable.

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Casement Plot by Levels of MPG Highway

20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Horsepower 300

0
1600 4600

Weight
For example, the plot above shows 6 scatterplots of Horsepower versus Weight, one in each
vertical section. Each automobile is plotted only once, in the section corresponding to its MPG
Highway value. For example, the 13 points shown in the leftmost section correspond to
automobiles with highway mileages (Z) greater than 20 but less than 25. The 6 sections are
defined as follows:

Section 1: 20 < Z ≤ 25
Section 2: 25 < Z ≤ 30
Section 3: 30 < Z ≤ 35
Section 4: 35 < Z ≤ 40
Section 5: 40 < Z ≤ 45
Section 6: 45 < Z ≤ 50

You can think of the sections of the plot as views from above the cube of the data within
horizontal slices lying on top of each other.

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