Pie Chart Maker

How to Use the Pie Chart Maker

This pie chart maker gives you three ways to enter your data: Raw Data, Paste Values, or Upload Dataset. The best option depends on the form in which you currently have your data.

1. Raw Data

Use Raw Data when you already know the categories and the value associated with each category.

For example, suppose a class survey produced the following results:

To create the pie chart:

1. Enter each category in the Category column.
2. Enter its corresponding frequency or value.
3. Click + Add Category if you need more rows.
4. Add a chart title if required.
5. Choose how you want the slices and legend displayed.
6. Click Make Pie Chart.

The values do not have to be percentages or add up to 100. The tool calculates the proportion represented by each category automatically.

2. Paste Values

Use Paste Values when you have the individual observations for a single categorical variable rather than a completed frequency table.

For example, you might have collected the following responses for students’ preferred learning mode:

Online
In Person
Hybrid
Online
Hybrid
Online
In Person
Online
Hybrid
In Person

To create a pie chart:

1. Select the “Paste Values” option
2. Paste the observations into the box
3. Click Make Pie Chart.

The tool identifies the distinct categories, counts how many times each one occurs, and uses those frequencies to create the pie chart. This saves you from having to create a frequency table before making the graph.

You can paste a column directly from Excel, Google Sheets, SPSS, or another spreadsheet or statistical program.

If you need the complete frequencies, percentages, relative frequencies, and cumulative frequencies rather than only a graph, use the Frequency Table Calculator.

3. Upload Dataset

Use the Upload Dataset option when your categorical variable is stored in a CSV, TXT, XLS, or XLSX file.

After selecting the file, the tool displays the available variables. Choose the variable you want to plot and check the preview to confirm that you selected the correct column.

The preview shows the variable name and some of its observations before you create the chart. Blank observations are ignored when the categories are counted.

For example, suppose your dataset contains the variables:

Student ID | Gender | Study Mode | Program | Year

If you want a pie chart showing the distribution of study modes, select Study Mode from the variable list. The tool counts the categories in that column and creates the chart from those frequencies.

Customize Your Pie Chart

After entering your data, you can customize how the pie chart is displayed before downloading it. The available options include:

• Chart Type: Choose Pie Chart to create the traditional circular chart or Doughnut Chart to display the same proportions with an empty space in the center.
• Slice Labels: Choose what you want to display on each slice. You can show the percentage, category name, category and percentage, original value, or hide the slice labels completely. For most pie charts, percentages or category and percentage provide the clearest presentation.
• Legend Position: Choose whether the chart legend appears at the top, bottom, left, or right of the chart. You can also hide the legend if the slice labels already identify the categories clearly.
• Color Palette: Select the color scheme you want to use for the chart. The available options include StatCalc, Academic, Colorblind Friendly, and Pastel.
• Sort Largest to Smallest: Select this option to arrange the slices from the largest category to the smallest. This can make it easier to compare the relative size of the categories when their original order is not important.
• Highlight Largest Slice: Select this option to slightly separate the largest slice from the rest of the pie chart. This is useful when you want to draw attention to the category with the largest proportion.

Once you are satisfied with the chart, click Download PNG to save it as an image that you can use in an assignment, report, presentation, or document.

What Is a Pie Chart?

A pie chart is a circular graph used to show how a total is divided among several categories. The circle represents the whole, while each slice represents one category.

The size of each slice is proportional to the category’s share of the total. A category representing 50% of the observations, for example, occupies half of the circle.

Pie charts are also sometimes called pie graphs or circle graphs. They work particularly well when the main question is: What proportion of the whole belongs to each category?

For example, a pie chart could show the proportion of students using different transportation methods, the percentage of a monthly budget spent on different expenses, or how survey responses are divided among several choices.

When Should You Use a Pie Chart?

Use a pie chart when the categories represent parts of one meaningful whole.

Good examples include:

A pie chart works best when there are relatively few categories and the differences between the slices are large enough to see clearly.

For this reason, the pie chart maker displays a warning when your data contain many visible slices. The graph can still be created, but another chart may communicate the comparison more clearly.

When Should You Not Use a Pie Chart?

A pie chart is not suitable for every dataset. Do not use one simply because your data contain categories. The categories should represent components of a common total.

For example, suppose you want to compare the average examination scores in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Those four averages do not represent pieces of a single total. As such, a pie chart would give the wrong impression. Instead, a Bar Chart would be more appropriate for that comparison.

A bar chart is also usually easier to interpret when:

• there are many categories;
• several values are very close to each other;
• exact comparisons between categories are important; or
• the categories do not represent parts of one total.

How Are Pie Chart Percentages Calculated?

A pie chart represents one whole divided among several categories. As such, each slice shows the proportion of the total that belongs to that category.

The percentage for a category is calculated as: Percentage = Category Value / Total × 100

Using the favorite-subject example above, there are:

14 + 11 + 8 + 7 = 40 students

Mathematics was selected by 14 students. Therefore:

Percentage for Mathematics

= 14 / 40 × 100

= 35%

The Mathematics slice therefore occupies 35% of the complete pie.

You do not need to calculate these percentages before entering your data into the pie chart maker. You can enter the original frequencies or values and let the tool determine the proportions.

This is also why your entered values do not have to add up to 100.

Pie Chart vs Bar Chart

Pie charts and bar charts can both display categorical data. However, they answer slightly different questions. The table below provides a quick summary of the key differences.

Suppose 50 students are asked how they travel to campus. A pie chart works well if you want to show what percentage travel by bus, car, bicycle, or on foot. However, if you simply want to compare the number of students in several academic departments, a bar chart may be easier to read.

Pie Chart vs Doughnut Chart

A doughnut chart is essentially a pie chart with the center removed. Both charts display the proportion of a total represented by each category.

For most statistical purposes, either one can present the same data. You should choose a traditional pie chart when you want the familiar full-circle format. However, if you prefer the visual appearance of a ring, choose a doughnut chart instead.

The chart type does not change the underlying percentages.

Tips for Making a Clear Pie Chart

A good pie chart should make the main pattern in the data easy to see. To create a clear and easy-to-read chart:

• Use a clear title: The title should tell the reader exactly what the pie chart represents.
• Keep the number of slices manageable: Pie charts are easier to read when they contain only a few categories. If you have many categories, a bar chart may be more appropriate.
• Use clear category names: Keep the labels short and descriptive so that readers can quickly identify each slice.
• Display percentages when useful: Percentages make it easier to see how much of the total is represented by each category.
• Avoid too many small slices: Several very small slices can make the chart difficult to interpret. Consider combining similar categories where appropriate or using a bar chart instead.
• Use a pie chart only for parts of a whole: The categories should represent portions of one meaningful total. Avoid using a pie chart to compare unrelated values.
• Use colors that are easy to distinguish: Choose a color palette that makes each category easy to identify, especially when the chart will be used in a report or presentation.
• Highlight a slice only when necessary: Emphasizing the largest or most important category can be useful, but avoid adding emphasis when it does not help communicate the data.

Frequently Asked Questions