2D Scatter chart: Series not colored/distributed correctly

I want to chart the risk vs performance for a range of different mutual funds.


When I use a 2D Scatter chart it either shows all the value pairs correctly distributed but in the same colour without identifying what they are, or shows me the points in different colours but only with two x values so the distribution is wrong. How do I get what I want - it's a really basic chart form.

Mac Studio, macOS 26.5

Posted on Jul 14, 2026 10:32 AM

Reply
7 replies

Jul 15, 2026 6:43 AM in response to Yellowbox

The chart I posted is an example only. Such charts are used extensively in finance and economics to show correlations between two variables. I took it from the internet. If you have ever had children, in the first year of life the health visitor would have measured the length and weight of your baby and plotted them on a curve to show if the baby was growing within parameters considered to be "normal". One axis would show weight, the other length. Or one could be age and the other weight.


In economics you plot countries' economic growth against government debt, or stock value growth vs salary of CEO for different companies to see if there is a linkage between high CEO salaries and stock value.


With investments you could plot average annual growth over 3 years for different funds against their equity exposure, for example.


What it does is to label each point so you can see which data pair the point refers to. Numbers appears not to be able to do this. The most I have been able to do in numbers is to add the two values to the data point on the chart, which in a way is superfluous since an experienced user of charts can read the values off the two axes. A label for each point would be far more helpful.

Jul 15, 2026 6:56 PM in response to Yellowbox

Thanks, that is helpful, but no spreadsheet is ever constructed like that. Not your fault, you've tried hard and I thank you for that. I had a look at MS 365 and might end up having to use that, although in the App store there is acharting App that can do scatter charts, I've already emailed them to see if they can do what I want. That app is only $18, a lot cheaper than the MS standalone at $250! OK, I could also get MS Office 265 for $100 a year. The important thing is it can do exactly what I want. Numbers cannot, but should.

Jul 14, 2026 5:08 PM in response to Yellowbox

Six different funds.

Two datapoints per fund.

Plot one datapoint on X axis, the other on the Y axis.

You then get a comparison of the degree of correlation between the two variables.


I don't understand how your solution would do that?


If each point has to be the same colour, how do I label each point? Numbers can add the values of the datapoints, but I don't know how to add the identifier to each point on the chart - like this:

2D Scatter chart: Series not colored/distributed correctly

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.