Subject: plotting percentage difference on a graph
Name: beckie
Who are you: Other (All)

I have worked out a set of percentage differences which are all percentage decrease. Should i express them as a negative percentage as -20%? I also need to plot them on a graph and am not sure whether to just use the percentage difference as it is, in which case i get a positive gradient, or include a negative axis and plot them in this way, in which case i would get a negative gradient. I think the slope of the curve will be the same either way so it might not matter!

Hi Beckie,

You can plot them either way, the important aspect is to label the graph in a way that is clear to anyone who sees it. I would label the graph "percentage change" and let the negative sign indicate that the change is a decrease.

Monthly percentage change in my stock portfolio

Penny