A scatterplot is a graphic representation of the relationship between two or three variables. Each data point is represented by a point in n space, where n is the number of variables. The most common type of scatterplot involves two variables, with data indicated by its bivariate coordinates, usually denoted by X and Y. Trivariate plots are also common. Representing data in more than three dimensions requires multiple bivariate and/or trivariate plots. So basically, all scatterplots fall into two types: bivariate and trivariate.

Figure 1 Bivariate Scatterplot

Manipulated data points are used to present a bivariate scatterplot in Figure 1 and a trivariate plot in Figure 2.