An area chart is a data visualization that displays quantitative information as filled regions between a plotted line and an axis, where the filled area encodes magnitude. It extends the line chart by filling the space below the line, enabling part-to-whole and magnitude comparisons across categories or over time. The technique persists through standard rendering libraries in statistical software and data analysis tools. [formal: area chart | substrate: mind | horizon: hours | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
area chart
An area chart is a data visualization that displays quantitative information as filled regions between a plotted line and an axis, where the filled area encodes magnitude. It extends the line chart by filling the space below the line, enab…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made data visualization construct that displays quantitative data as filled regions between a line and an axis, where the filled area encodes magnitude and allows comparison of part-to-whole relationships across categories or time. Built to persist through rendering libraries and statistical software.
Names and aliases
- area charten · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrvfy7ya011u2ceilq543hu4INSTANCE_OF →
An area chart is a specific kind of plot — it is a line plot where the area between the line and the axis is filled. A competent speaker would call it 'a plot'. Law 9: specific→general.
Relations to this entry
- cmrwxvdu401posoackz7mbmxq← INSTANCE_OF
A stacked area chart is a specific kind of area chart that shows multiple data series stacked vertically — a competent speaker would classify it as a type of area chart per Law 9.
Record identity
- Created
- Jul 23, 2026, 3:13 AM UTC
- Content hash
- c0eb7a890829a4669873244aec134c1f4e436cefef589577e29ad31fcef3768e