>Wayde, I usually plot a 21-step, from 9 to about 15 steps. Is
>that "lots of data"?
Since "lots" is open for much debate. Let's just say that it depends on you,
what you want to do with your data, and how patient you are. For a simple graph
plotting 9 to 15 points by hand is a very reasonable thing to do. However if
you do it regularly, then using a graphing program can be nice. Once you've
created the first graph, making a new one with new data is as quick and easy as
typing in your 9 to 15 data points. If you've already typed in these data, and
want to compare two or more data sets you just tell the computer to plot them
all on the same graph. This is much faster and less error prone than making a
new graph by hand plotting 30 or more points.
On the other hand, it can be much more complicated to get the computer to do the
nice smooth curve you will get plotting by hand and connecting points with a
french curve. Like I said before, it all depends on what you want and need. If
you only do an occasional graph with 15 data points, a piece of graph paper,
pencil, and french curve, may very well be the quickest solution.
- Wayde Allen
(74160.3410@compuserve.com)