The arc diagram is a series of nodes placed on a linear scale. Arcs represent connections or relationships to the nodes. The arcs can have various stroke weights to represent strength. The arcs can be color coded as well for easier observation.
Arc Diagram Pros
-Great for visualizing networks and connections.
-Simple and clean unless excessive data is used.
-Can be combined with other data structures.
Arc Diagram Example
Cities served by Duluth Airport.The large dashed arc represents seasonal flights. This diagram also displays the cities served by Duluth relation with each other. There are many flights between Chicago and Minneapolis, but fewer between Chicago and Ft. Meyers.
Arc Diagram Cons
-Can be easily cluttered with large amounts of data.
-Poor color choices can make it hard to read.
-May not clearly convey relationships between distant nodes in diagram.
Hopping Mad
I made a mind exercise game using the arc diagram. How many hops must you make to get from one node to another. To get from 3 to 8 can be done in two or three jumps. How about 8 to 6? Six is not linked, so it’s inaccessible. Least amount of hops from 8 to 9? Have fun!