Numbers charts showing dates

There are two kinds of charts: category charts and the scatter chart. All charts other than the scatter chart (which looks like a bunch of + signs) space the data equally on the X axis. The X axis is really just "categories", it makes no difference what the values are, they are placed o the chart in the order they appear in your table. The scatter chart is the only true X-Y chart.

The other difference with the scatter chart is it wants your X axis data to be in one of the normal columns/rows, not in a header column/row like the other charts want. Move your X data to regular "data" cells alongside your Y data then create a scatter chart.

Excel does date charts so much better. It recognizes dates and will put the first of each month as the X axis labels. Numbers spaces it out equally by days so you might have labels of 1/1/20 then 1/31/20 then 3/1/20, etc. Excel can do that, too, but defaults to month-by-month. Numbers has no way to set it to month-by-month.

Numbers does it 'correctly' right fromthe beginning, too, provided you choose the right type of chart for the data you are charting.

Numbers creates two types of charts:

Category charts, which have a value axis and a Category axis.

X-Y charts have two value axes—a horizontal 'x axis' and a vertical 'y axis.

You've chosen the wrong type, and your dates are being treated as "categories" rather than numeric or quasi-numeric "values"

Category charts require the Categories to be listed in a Header column (or header row), and the values to be listed in a 'body' column (or row).

X-Y value charts require both value series to be listed in body (non-header) columns (or rows).

You can learn more about charting in Numbers from the Charting Basics template in the Basics section of the Template Chooser.

Most of the charts in template are Category charts.

The Scatter chart, far to the right in the tabs at the top of the page, is an x-y values chart, that will do the job you want.

Regards,

Barry

Numbers does it 'correctly' right fromthe beginning, too, provided you choose the right type of chart for the data you are charting.

Excel's line chart will interpret whether the X axis is text or "data" and will create the appropriate type of X axis automatically. You can override its decision in the chart settings. Having to choose a scatter chart in Numbers is not a big deal other than you then have to set it up to have lines and all. The display of date data on the X axis could be improved, though, like Excel's option of monthly divisions.