I am curious to know who first used the term "scale" in graphing, and what exactly did they mean.
Depending on which dictionary you use, a scale can mean "a coating" or a scale can mean a device for weighing (or measuring).
The way scales are described in a Data Visualization Course I am taking, "scales" are a kind of aesthetic onto which we map our data (like "scales" on a fish); part of a theory of the "Grammar of Graphics".
On the other hand, in other classes, it has always seemed like scales are a kind of measure of weight.
My questions are:
- Who first used this term ("scale" or "scales")?
- Which meaning (or analogy) of "scale" were they trying to convey?
- Also, has the meaning of "scale" (or "scales") in graphing changed over time (e.g., with the "Grammar of Graphics", and, if so, by whom?