Plotting Data on a Soil Textural Triangle with a Microcomputer

Microcomputers have made plotting x‐y data a relatively simple task. Most graphics software is developed for business; strictly scientific software is scarce, cumbersome, and expensive. However, many scientific applications can be adapted from business applications of the more readily available business software packages. Soil scientists often need to plot soil texture data, i.e., percent sand, silt, and clay on a triangle. There is no equivalent business application. A method to plot textural data on a triangular diagram was developed using a simple mathematical transformation of the data and readily available business software. The mathematical transformation is done in a spreadsheet program and then the data is plotted on a texture triangle drawn with a business graphics program. Publication‐quality output can be produced with readily available, low‐cost business graphics and spreadsheet software. This technique can be easily taught to students to visually portray textural data.