History of the diagrams
All figures used functional relationship for at least two types of data. Accordingly, the first charts were simple graphics functions, in which the permissible values of the argument correspond to the values of functions.
The ideas of functional dependence were used in ancient times. It is found already in the first mathematically expressed relationships between values, as well as in the first rule of action on numbers, the first formula for finding area and volume of geometric figures. Babylonian scholars, thus unwittingly established that the area of a circle is a function of its radius of 4-5 thousand years ago. Astronomical Tables of the Babylonians, Greeks and Indians - a vivid example of a table specifying the function, and tables, respectively, are the repository of data for the chart.
In the XVII century, French scientists Francois Vieth and Rene Descartes laid the foundations for the concept of function and developed a unified mathematical alphabetic symbols, which soon received widespread recognition. Also, the geometric work of Descartes and Pierre Fermat showed a clear idea of variable size and rectangular coordinate system - supporting elements of modern charts.
The first statistical charts began to build a British economist William Playfair in the "Commercial and Political Atlas" in 1786. This work stimulated the development of graphical methods in the social sciences.