How to Choose an Appropriate Data Display

TenMarks teaches you how to choose an appropriate data display in tables, graphs, and functions.

Choose an Appropriate Display In this problem, it states that the following are four different ways a teacher can display the grades on a test. We have our Stem-and-Leaf Plot, Line Plot, Histogram and Circle Graph. Our first question is which display or displays show of all of the individual test score? Data can be displayed, organize in different ways. We can use a Stem-and-Leaf Plot, a Line Plot, a Histogram or a Circle Graph. The Stem-and-Leaf Plot shows all the individual scores. We see each score and all those data values are organized in increasing order. It shows each score and it shows all the data values. Some of the data values in this Steam-and Leaf Pot are 64, 68, we have 70 we have two 72, one 72 and another 72. We have 74, 76, another 76, another 76 and so forth. Let’s move to the Line Plot. A Line Plot is a way of organizing data. It uses a number line to show how often each test score occurs. A Line Plot shows the frequency of each test score. Each value is represented with an ‘x’ above that number on the number line. Each values represented by the x above that number in the number line for each time it appears in the data set. For example, some of the data values are 64, 68, we have 70, we have two 72, so that means one student got a 64, one got a 68, we have two students that got a 72, we have three students that got a 76 and so forth. Let’s move to our histogram. A histogram shows the frequencies of test scores that occur in equal intervals of 10. For example, the scores from 60 to 69 have been organized in one interval and a number of scores frequency obtained in this interval has been plotted in the graph. The height of the bar represents the frequency of the scores in that interval. The histogram does not give us any information about the individual scores. Let’s take a look at the Circle Graph. The circle graph illustrates the relative size of each score as part of the total score. The circle graph show us each score but as part of the total score. The central angle of a sector is computed by multiplying the fraction or percent of scores by 360. For example, the number of students who scored 60 to 69 is two and the total number of students is 26. The percentage of students would be 2÷26×100 which is 7.7%. To show the percentage in a circle graph, find the central angle. The central angle would be 2÷26×360 degrees which would be 27.68 degrees. 27.68 degrees represents the fraction out of 360 degrees, of students who scored 60 to 69. The circle graph does not give us any information about the individual scores but the circle graph is a good graph to use when displaying the results of opinions or surveys. A circle graph is often used to display surveys, opinions of surveys. To answer our question which display shows all the individual test scores, only the Stem-and-Leaf Plot and the Line Plot show all the individual test scores. For number one, we're only using the Stem-and-Leaf Plot and the line plot. Let’s move on to number two. Do any of the displays allow you to find the test score of a certain student? If not, what type of display would show this type of information? We are looking to see if any of these displays show the scores of a certain student, an individual student. Looking at these four displays, none of the above displays allow us to find the test score of a certain student. The Stem-and-Leaf Plot and the Line Plot show the test scores of all the individuals but they do not display the scores of each individual by their names. We can not find the test score of a certain student. A Histogram and a Circle Graph divide the scores into intervals. They do not give us any information about the individual test scores. A histogram and a circle graph do not show the scores obtained by a certain student. Therefore, none of a given displays allows us to find the test score of a certain student. When we want to show a specific number, we use a bar graph. A bar chart or a bar graph is a chart with rectangular bars with lengths proportional to the values that they represent. A bar graph shows the number of items in a specific category. The score obtained by each student is represented by a rectangular bar with length proportional to the score obtained. It allows us to find the test score obtained by a certain student. So, the type of the display we would use would be a bar graph. Let’s move down and show some ways to display data and their uses. What we just talked about a bar graph, the bar graph and its use shows the number if items in a specific category. For our second question, if we wanted to know for a certain student will be a specific category, that’s why we would use the bar graph. We have our circle graph that we said compares parts of the data to a whole, a histogram which shows the frequency of the data that has been organized into equal intervals, the line graph which shows change over a period of time, the line plot which shows how many times each number occurs in the data, a pictograph which shows the number of items in a specific category, the Stem-and-Leaf Plot lists all individual numerical data in a condensed form, the scatter plot which shows the relationship between two data sets and the box and whisker plot which shows the distribution and spread of data. Things to remember that data can be displayed in a stem-and-leaf plot, a line plot, a histogram and a circle graph or it can be also displayed as a bar graph like we talked about in number two. A line plot is uses a number line to show how often the frequency of each value occurs or how often the value occurs. A stem-and-leaf plot shows all of the individual scores. They show each score, individual scores. A histogram display numerical data that have been organized in equal intervals. The frequency of the values is represented by the heights of the bars. A circle graph is often used to display qualitative data and is particularly useful to illustrate the relative sizes of parts of a whole. It is often used to display the results of opinion surveys. A bar graph or bar chart is a chart with rectangular bars with lengths proportional to the values that they represent. It is comparing two or more values usually on small data sets.