Final answer:
Excel plots the x-axis based on the designated column for the independent variable, not just dates. When creating a graph, label your axes properly and choose a scale that includes all data points and allows for easy analysis. Plot each point by finding the correct position on both x- and y-axes.
Step-by-step explanation:
By default, Excel will plot the x-axis based on the numbers you plot in the column you have designated for your independent variable, which could be a date if that is what you have chosen. When constructing a graph, it's important to ensure that your axes are correctly labeled and scaled. For the x-axis, you may use a variable such as Time (min), and for the y-axis, you would plot the dependent variable, for example, Distance from station (km).
Your axes should start at zero and extend high enough to cover all your data points. In this context, you might set your x-axis to range from 0 to 70 minutes with a tick mark every 10 minutes, and your y-axis from 0 km to 160 km with a tick mark every 10 km. This will include all data points and make it easier to spot trends or changes.
Once the axes are set up, you can begin plotting your data. For instance, to plot a data point at 10 minutes and 22 kilometers, you would find the 10-minute mark on the x-axis, then approximate on the y-axis where 22 kilometers would be and place a dot there. This process would be repeated for each data point.