In Microsoft Excel and similar spreadsheets, a data series in a chart or worksheet is best defined as which of the following?

Introduction / Context:
Spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel use charts to visually represent numeric information. When creating charts, you often select one or more data series, which the chart then plots as lines, bars, or other shapes. Understanding what a data series represents is important for interpreting and designing accurate charts. This question asks you to identify the correct definition of a data series in the context of Excel.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The context is Excel or a similar spreadsheet program.
• The term in question is data series.
• The options include a collection of related data, chart, cell reference, a division of results, and worksheet.
• We assume basic familiarity with how charts are generated from ranges of cells.

Concept / Approach:
A data series is a set of related values that are plotted as a single unit in a chart. For example, monthly sales numbers for one product for a year form one data series. If a chart compares multiple products, each product's monthly values form a separate data series. A chart is the entire graphical object that may contain one or more data series. A cell reference is a notation such as A1 or B2, pointing to a single cell. A worksheet is the entire grid of rows and columns. A division of results is not a standard term in Excel chart terminology. Therefore, the definition that best matches a data series is a collection of related data.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that when you create a chart, Excel asks for the range of data to use, often splitting that range into one or more series.Step 2: Recognise that each series is plotted with its own line, set of bars, or other graphical representation.Step 3: Understand that these series consist of related values, such as all quarterly profits for one department or all test scores for one student.Step 4: Compare this concept with a chart, which is the entire graphical output including axes and labels, not a single series.Step 5: Remember that a cell reference points to a single cell, not to an entire set of related values, and that a worksheet is the full grid.Step 6: Conclude that A collection of related data is the correct definition for a data series.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, imagine a line chart showing temperature readings over several days. The list of temperatures for one city forms a data series; if you add readings from a second city, that is another series. In Excel's Select Data Source dialog, each of these sets is listed as a separate series with its own name and range. A chart can contain many series, and each series is built from a range that is logically grouped. This matches the idea of a collection of related data, confirming that option A is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Chart refers to the entire graphical representation, including axes, gridlines, legend, and possibly multiple data series, so it is too broad. Cell reference indicates a location of one cell, not a group of related values. A division of results is vague and not a standard term used in Excel for chart elements. Worksheet refers to an entire sheet of rows and columns, containing potentially many unrelated data sets, not a specific series. Therefore, these options do not accurately define what a data series is in the context of Excel.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the chart as a whole with its component parts, leading them to believe that series and charts are the same concept. Another pitfall is focusing on cell references, which are important for formulas but represent only individual locations. To avoid confusion, it helps to remember that a chart can have multiple data series, and each series is simply a collection of related values that share a common meaning or category.

Final Answer:
In Excel, a data series is best defined as A collection of related data that is plotted together in a chart.