What is a circular graph divided into wedges that show each part's percentage of the whole called?

A circular graph divided into wedges that represent each part's percentage of the whole is called a pie graph. This type of graph is visually effective for illustrating proportions and comparing parts of a whole. Each slice, or wedge, corresponds to a category, with its size reflecting the relative size of that category compared to the entire dataset. The pie graph is particularly useful when you want to showcase how different segments contribute to a total, making it easier for viewers to quickly grasp the distributions within the data.

In contrast, line graphs display data points connected by straight lines, which are ideal for showing trends over time rather than parts of a whole. Bar graphs represent data using rectangular bars, which are effective for comparing different groups or categories but do not convey percentage relationships as the pie graph does. Scatter plots display values for two variables for a set of data, highlighting correlations rather than proportions. The specific design of a pie graph makes it uniquely suited for illustrating segments as parts of a whole, distinctly differentiating it from these other types of graphs.