What distinguishes a scatter chart from a line chart in Excel?

A scatter chart is specifically designed to illustrate the relationship between two numeric variables by plotting points on a Cartesian plane. Each point represents an observation, with its position defined by the values of the two variables being compared. This visual representation allows users to easily identify correlations or patterns, such as whether an increase in one variable may be associated with an increase or decrease in another.

In contrast, a line chart primarily focuses on displaying how a singular variable changes over time, making it especially useful for showing trends. While it can compare multiple data series by using multiple lines, its primary use is for temporal data rather than illustrating relationships between two separate numeric variables. Additionally, the use of a line chart is not limited to numeric data alone, as it can also functionally represent other types of continuous data, but that is not its defining characteristic in the same way that a scatter chart functions. Thus, the primary distinction lies in the purpose and representation of relationships between two quantitative variables in the scatter chart format.