# Split a scatter plot into quadrants

> Divide a scatter plot into four labeled, shaded zones by drawing a line across each axis at the average, the median or a value you choose.

Analyze · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-28

Quadrant mode splits a scatter plot into four zones. It draws one line across the X axis and one across the Y axis, then labels and shades each corner, so you can see which points are high on both measures, low on both, or high on one and low on the other.

## Turn it on

1. Build a scatter plot with a measure on X-Axis and another on Y-Axis.
2. Open the format pane and find Quadrant mode in Chart Options.
3. Switch Quadrant mode on.
4. Pick a Threshold type, then name and color the quadrants.

## Choose where the lines go

Threshold type decides where the two lines cross the axes.

| Threshold type | Where the lines go |
| --- | --- |
| Average | At the average of each measure. This is the default. |
| Median | At the median of each measure, so half the points fall on each side. |
| Custom | At values you type in the X threshold and Y threshold boxes. |

Line style sets the lines to solid, dashed or dotted. They're dashed by default.

## Name and color the quadrants

Under Quadrants, each corner has a label box and a color swatch: top left, top right, bottom left and bottom right. The labels start as High Y / Low X, High Y / High X, Low Y / Low X and Low Y / High X - replace them with names that mean something for your data, like Stars or Needs attention.

Show shading fills each quadrant with its color, and Shading opacity sets how strong that fill is. Switch Show shading off to keep just the lines and labels.

## Ask for it in the chat

You can ask the Analyst to add quadrants to a scatter plot, for example "split this into quadrants at the median", and it turns Quadrant mode on with that threshold.

### Related

- [Chart types in Golden](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/chart-types)
- [Reference lines and bands](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/reference-lines-and-bands)
- [Format a chart](https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/format-a-chart)

Source: https://goldenanalytics.com/docs/scatter-quadrants