Seven Charts That Represent 100%
Choosing the right chart is key to visualizing our data in the clearest and most powerful way possible. For this reason, at Datasketch we present seven types of charts you can use to represent data that sum 100%.
Author: Jairo Sarmiento
Data visualizations allow us to communicate complex information clearly, such as discovering patterns and relationships. We present seven different types of charts designed to represent data that sum to a total of 100%. Find out which is the best option for your next data visualization.
1. Pie Chart
The pie chart is widely used and helps us show the percentage distribution of different categories that sum to 100%, such as, for example, a person’s monthly expenses divided into housing, food, leisure, and transportation. The wider the slice of the pie, the greater the value represented. For this reason, we recommend using this chart when there are between 2 and 8 categories. With more categories, reading begins to become more difficult.
2. Tree Chart
The tree chart, also known as treemap, organizes a rectangular space in proportions that sum to 100%, making it an ideal tool for visualizing hierarchical or categorical data. This chart is an excellent alternative to the pie chart, as it allows showing more categories without losing clarity. For example, it can be used to represent a person’s monthly expenses, divided into main categories —like housing— and subcategories —like rent and utilities.
Thanks to its compact and attractive design, the treemap is perfect for highlighting the distribution of categories and subcategories within a limited space, facilitating visual comparison.
3. 100% Stacked Bar Chart
100% stacked bars represent the proportions of different components within the same bar. Each bar is divided into segments, where each one corresponds to a specific category within the group. The sum of the segments always equals 100% of the bar, which makes it easy to compare both the individual proportion of each category and the total between different groups.
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4. 100% Stacked Area Chart
The 100% stacked area chart is similar to stacked bars but uses a continuous representation that allows showing changes over time. It’s ideal for illustrating how proportions evolve, such as changes during a year in a person’s monthly expenses for each category.
5. Sankey Diagram
The Sankey diagram is a fluid chart that shows how a total of 100% breaks down and redistributes among different processes or categories. For example, it can be used to represent the flow of a person’s monthly budget, breaking down the main types of expenses into more specific subcategories.
6. Pictorial Chart
The pictorial chart uses representative icons or images to show proportions. Each icon or figure can be “filled” to different degrees to reflect the data. For example, if 40% of a person’s monthly budget is allocated to housing, an image of a house will appear 40% filled.
7. Waffle Chart
The waffle chart uses a 10x10 grid to represent a total of 100%. Each cell represents 1% of the total, which facilitates quick and accurate reading of proportions. It’s ideal for data that doesn’t require complex analysis, and its modular design allows clear visualization even with many small categories.
Each of these charts sums to 100%, but their effectiveness depends on the context and the data you want to communicate. Selecting the correct chart will help you tell clearer and more convincing visual stories. Which one would you choose for your next analysis? This month we will tell various data-based stories where the number 100 emerges as the protagonist. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on our social networks so you don’t miss any!