What is an area plot in data visualization?

An area plot is characterized as a line plot where the space between the line and the axis is filled with color or texture. This type of visualization effectively illustrates the magnitude of values over a continuous range, making it particularly useful for displaying trends over time or comparing multiple variables within a dataset. By filling the area under the line, it enhances the visual impact, helping viewers interpret the differences in volume or quantities more readily.

In contrast, a bar graph is typically used to compare discrete values rather than to show continuous trends. A scatter plot focuses on showing individual data points to reveal relationships or patterns between two variables, but it does not provide the cumulative perspective that area plots do. A pie chart, on the other hand, is designed to display the proportions of a whole but lacks the capacity to convey changes over a sequence or trend, which is a fundamental function of area plots. Thus, the defining feature of an area plot lies in its ability to represent continuous data with a filled region, effectively combining characteristics of line graphs and categorizations of the data it represents.