Adjusting Your Data to Fit the Page

Typically your TA will expect your data to take up at least 3/4 of the page when you plot a graph by hand.  This will allow you the most accuracy.    This is less important with a computer generated graph because the computer will calcualte the equation of the line.  However, if you need to make the graph take up most of the page, you need to change the range on the x- and y- axes.

After you have plotted your data:

1. First, double click on the values on the x- axis.

2. Click on "scale" at the top of the window that opens.

3. Choose a new minimum value.  Make sure it is less than your first data point so that no data points are lost.

4. Click "ok."

5.  Repeat these steps using the y- axis.

On the graph below, the minimum value you would choose for the x- axis could be 0.003, and for the y- axis you could choose 80 as the minimum.  Click here to view the actual data used to make the graph below.