Stupid Excel Question

Neaden

OK, just trying to figure out how to do something that seems like it should be fairly basic in Excel. Is there a way to put in an equation with a variable and then graph the line from it? for instance to graph y=2x?

Orogogus

This isn't really what Excel is for. But if your equation is reasonably simple, you can figure out a few values, plot those points, make a scatter graph and then add a trendline (then going to Format Trendline and extending it as needed).

Dachshund

This is exactly what excel is for.

Easiest way to do this:

Have 2 columns, 1 for x and 1 for y. In column x you type x numbers in. In column y you have the equation.

For the y=2x example: In column y you type "=", then click on the x column directly to the left, then type "*2", and hit enter. The equation will look like "=A2*2". Then copy it and paste it into the cells below to fill out the column. The cells below will be "=A3*2", "=A4*2", etc. You don't have to manually type each one.

Then highlight both columns and click the plot button, choose x-y plot with whatever style you want, and voila! If you have x on the left and y on the right, the plot will auto have x on the horizontal axis and y on the vertical axis.

Orogogus

Eh, the fact that you can't put in an equation by itself and have it graph says to me that it's not the intended use of the product, compared to something like, well, a graphing calculator. But Dachshund's method is much quicker if the equations are actually on the order of y=2x. I was overthinking and for some reason thought there might be polynomial equations involved.