Why are logarithmic graphs useful?
In: Mathematics
Graphs are useful because they show the relationship between two things. For example, the relationship between engine torque vs. engine rpm forms the familiar “bump” that can give us a lot of intuition about the characteristics of that engine.
Other relationships make for terrible graphs when using the same 1:1 ratio. For example the exponential growth in such things a cell populations or bank accounts, or sound loudness are difficult to show. They will look like a flat line before “suddenly” rising to the top. These graphs don’t give us any intuition, thew will all look the same. But if we adjust the ratio between axes to be logarithmic, suddenly the graphs will show the delicate nuances that let us form useful intuition about the characteristics of the values we are graphing.
Some subject matters just make more sense on a logarithmic scale.
Latest Answers