What does the color gradient in a heat map typically indicate?

The color gradient in a heat map is primarily used to represent quantitative data values. This visual representation allows users to easily interpret complex data sets quickly by utilizing variations in color intensity. Darker or more vibrant colors often signify higher values, while lighter colors might represent lower values. This method of visualization makes it easier to identify patterns, trends, and anomalies in the data, which is particularly useful when analyzing large amounts of information or comparing different datasets.

In contrast, other options such as time of day, geographical locations, or textual data descriptions do not typically utilize a color gradient in the same way. While heat maps can sometimes reflect geographical data, they mainly emphasize the quantitative aspects, offering a more immediate understanding of how data varies across different dimensions or categories.