What kind of data is best displayed using a pie chart?

A pie chart is particularly effective for displaying percentages of a whole because it visually represents parts of a single dataset as slices of a circle. Each slice corresponds to a category's proportion relative to the total, making it easy to see how each part contributes to the whole. This method allows for quick assessments of relative sizes and distributions, which is particularly useful in scenarios where understanding the makeup of a total or comparing different categories is essential.

In contrast, qualitative data is often better represented through bar graphs or other visual formats that can show comparisons between categories without implying a numerical relationship. Large data sets can overwhelm a pie chart, making it difficult to discern individual slices clearly, as they may become too small or numerous. Unrelated figures often require different types of charts or graphs that can better showcase relationships or patterns beyond simple parts of a whole, thus not being ideal for pie chart representation.