Examining Relationships Among Three Variables
overview 

Use these graphs to view three variables in a single plot. For example, you can assess how temperature and humidity affect drying times for paint.

Graph

Uses

Contour Plot

 

Use a contour plot to map measurement values as a function of two other variables. In a contour plot, similar z-values are represented on the x-y plane by contour lines and colored bands.

3D Scatterplot

 

Use a 3D scatterplot to plot individual observations in three dimensions defined by the x-, y-, and z-variables.

3D Surface Plot

 

Use a 3D surface plot to create a three-dimensional surface based on the x-, y-, and z-variables.

A 3D surface plot is similar to a 3D scatterplot except that Minitab displays a continuous surface (surface plot) or a grid (wireframe plot) of z-values instead of individual data points.

Bubble Plot

 

Use a bubble plot to explore the relationships among three variables on a single plot. Like a scatterplot, a bubble plot plots a y-variable versus an x-variable. However, the symbols (also called bubbles) on the bubble plot vary in size. The area of each bubble represents the value of a third variable.