Dual and composite bar charts

A dual bar chart places groups side by side for each category; compare their heights from a common zero baseline. A composite bar stacks the groups, so the top shows the total and each segment’s thickness shows its own frequency.

Dual bars

Composite bars for the same data

On Tuesday the counts are 8 adults and 3 children: total 11. In the composite chart, 11 is the top of the children’s segment, not the number of children. Keep category bars separated; joined bars are used for continuous intervals in histograms.