Question 1

Kurt is presenting data on how often owners give treats to their pets.He uses pictures of fish for cat treats and pictures of bones for dog treats in a graph of the data.Although this graph may look interesting, why should Kurt consider using a different type of graph?
A) Pictorial graphs are used only in research journals.
B) Bar graphs are supposed to include pictures or symbols to depict categories of the independent variable.
C) Pictorial graphs may mislead the audience and detract from the actual relation between variables.
D) Pictorial graphs do not present actual data.

Accepted Answer

Pictorial graphs may mislead the audience and detract from the actual relation between variables. While using pictures of fish and bones for cat and dog treats may seem interesting, it could make it more difficult for the audience to accurately interpret the data and understand the relationship between it. A simpler graph, such as a bar graph or line graph, would clearly display the data without the potential for confusion or misinterpretation.

Question 2

Tori wants to graph the relation between number of hours spent studying and type of major (pre-med, pre-law, and the sciences).What should be listed on the y-axis?
A) type of major; alphabetize the labels
B) number of hours spent studying, ranging from the lowest to the highest mean value
C) number of hours spent studying, ranging from 0 to the highest mean value
D) type of major; organize the labels by highest to lowest mean values

Accepted Answer

The y-axis should represent the numerical data, which in this case is the number of hours spent studying. It should range from 0 to the highest mean value to accurately reflect the data distribution.

Question 3

Sun is reading an article about autism rates and how they are increasing in a majority of Western countries around the world.She notices that the authors incorrectly used a line graph to depict the number of autism diagnoses in five different countries, which is a nominal variable.What type of graph should have been created to represent the autism rates in different regions of the world?
A) scatterplot
B) time series plot
C) line graph
D) bar graph

Accepted Answer

Since the variable is nominal, a bar graph would be the most appropriate choice to represent the autism rates in different regions of the world. A bar graph can display nominal data by representing each category with a separate bar, and showing the frequency or proportion of each category on the y-axis. This way, it would be easier to compare the autism rates between different regions.

Question 4

A researcher finds that first-year college students have a more positive outlook about their future job prospects compared to seniors who are about to graduate.The researcher infers that outlook decreases steadily with each year, including across the sophomore and junior years of college.This could represent a(n) _____ lie.
A) sneaky sample
B) biased scale
C) interpolation
D) extrapolation

Accepted Answer

Interpolation involves making inferences about data points within the range of observed data, but without direct evidence for those specific points. The researcher is assuming a steady decline in outlook across all years without specific data for sophomores and juniors.

Question 5

The background images or patterns often included in visual displays of data are known as:
A) chart-fill.
B) moiré vibrations.
C) grids.
D) ducks.

Accepted Answer

Grids are commonly used in visual displays of data to provide a structured background that helps in the accurate reading and interpretation of the information presented.

Question 6

An insurance company hires Ulrich to explain car accidents that are the result of people who look at the road while driving but do not see an oncoming car, a type of accident labeled as "driver looked but did not see." Ulrich creates an experiment in which participants see two pictures flashing on a computer screen.Both pictures show the same scene but one is slightly different.Ulrich records how long it takes people to notice the change (reaction time) and how many sets of pictures they view during a 5-minute session.What should Ulrich include on a scatterplot to most effectively describe these data?
A) reaction time and gender
B) reaction time and total study time
C) reaction time and number of pictures viewed
D) number of pictures viewed and gender

Accepted Answer

Ulrich wants to understand how quickly people notice changes in a visual scene and how many sets of pictures they view, which is represented by reaction time and number of pictures viewed. Gender and total study time are not relevant variables for the experiment.

Question 7

Viri wants to graph the number of hours of physical activity of a specific group of children over time, following them from the ages of 2 to 17 years.What would be the BEST type of graph for these longitudinal data?
A) scatterplot
B) line graph
C) time plot
D) bar graph

Accepted Answer

A time plot is a type of graph that is used to show how a variable changes over time. It is a good choice for graphing longitudinal data because it allows you to see how the variable changes over time for each individual in the study.

Question 8

In a pie chart, each slice represents a level on the _____ variable.
A) linear
B) independent
C) scale
D) dependent

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a pie chart, each slice represents...

Question 9

Which of these is an example of the clinical application of graphs?
A) depression levels plotted against number of treatment sessions, shown in comparison to expected outcomes
B) house prices plotted against marketing expenses, displayed on a map to show prices as a function of location
C) bubble graphs that allow multiple variables to be displayed simultaneously
D) a graph showing a time line with points along that line that can be accessed to learn more information about the events that occurred in history

Accepted Answer

The graph in option A shows the clinical application of graphs where depression levels are plotted against the number of treatment sessions to monitor patient progress and compare it with expected outcomes. This helps in evaluating the effectiveness of the treatment and making informed decisions about patient care.

Question 10

The cutesy images used to represent data in pictorial graphs could be considered an example of:
A) moiré vibrations.
B) ducks.
C) chart-fill.
D) grids.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The cutesy images used to represent data...

Question 11

A private high school wants to show that students' test scores are superior to those of another school in the district.The administration creates a bar graph showing a very tall bar representing the private school's mean test score and a very short bar representing the mean score for the other school.What part of the graph would show if the private school is exaggerating the difference between schools?
A) labels on the x-axis
B) range of values on the x-axis
C) labels on the y-axis
D) range of values on the y-axis

Accepted Answer

If the range of values on the y-axis is manipulated, it can make the difference between the two mean scores appear larger or smaller than it actually is. Therefore, if the private school is exaggerating the difference between schools, it is most likely that the range of values on the y-axis is being manipulated to make the tall bar look even taller in comparison to the short bar.

Question 12

What should be kept in mind when organizing data in graphs?
A) exclude outliers to reduce skew of data
B) distribution of the data
C) source from which data is collected
D) type of variable being examined and the independent and dependent variables

Accepted Answer

When organizing data in graphs, it is important to consider the type of variable being examined (such as nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio), as well as the independent and dependent variables. These factors will determine the appropriate type of graph to use, such as a bar graph, scatter plot, or line graph. The distribution of the data and the source from which it was collected may also be important considerations, but they are less directly related to the organization of data in graphs. Excluding outliers may sometimes be necessary, but it depends on the purpose of the graph and should be done with caution.

Question 13

What type of bar graph orders the categories on the x-axis from highest bar on the left to lowest bar on the right?
A) scatterplot
B) Pareto chart
C) line graph
D) pictorial graph

Accepted Answer

This type of bar graph is called a Pareto chart, which arranges the categories on the x-axis from highest bar on the left to lowest bar on the right, based on a specific variable or criteria.

Question 14

Scatterplots visually depict the type of relation between two variables, such as a _____ relation, where the data fall along a straight line, and a _____ relation, where the data follow a curved or broken pattern.
A) linear; negative
B) nonlinear; linear
C) nonlinear; line of best fit
D) linear; nonlinear

Accepted Answer

Scatterplots can show either linear or nonlinear relations between two variables. Linear relation is when the data fall along a straight line, while nonlinear relation refers to a pattern that follows a curved or broken line. Therefore, option D (linear; nonlinear) is the best choice.

Question 15

A _____ depicts the relation between two scale variables, whereas a _____ displays values of a scale variable within different categories of a nominal variable.
A) scatterplot; bar graph
B) line graph; scatterplot
C) bar graph; pictorial graph
D) pictorial graph; pie chart

Accepted Answer

A scatterplot is used to show the relationship between two continuous ("scale") variables, such as height and weight. On the other hand, a bar graph displays the distribution of a single continuous variable across different categories of a nominal variable, such as the average income of different occupations. While options B, C, and D include some of the same types of graphs, they pair them up incorrectly with the given definitions.

Question 16

To test whether a chemical found in many common plastic items is toxic, researchers fed different amounts of the chemical (from 0 to 20 micrograms) to mice and later performed a blood test to determine the amount of toxins present in each mouse.To create a scatterplot of the data, which variable should be listed on the x-axis?
A) independent variable, which is the amount of the chemical given to the mice
B) dependent variable, which is the amount of the chemical given to the mice
C) independent variable, which is the amount of toxins present in the blood test
D) dependent variable, which is the amount of toxins present in the blood test

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the amount of the chemical given to the mice, and this is what is being varied in the experiment. The dependent variable is the amount of toxins present in the blood test, which is being measured as a result of changing the amount of the chemical given. Therefore, the independent variable (amount of chemical) should be plotted on the x-axis and the dependent variable (amount of toxins) should be plotted on the y-axis.

Question 17

_____ are an efficient way to visually display data to identify whether there is a linear or nonlinear relation between scale variables.
A) Histograms
B) Bar graphs
C) Time plots
D) Scatterplots

Accepted Answer

Scatterplots are the most efficient way to visually display data to identify linear or nonlinear relation between scale variables. They allow you to see the pattern of the data and to identify any potential outliers, clusters or trends. Histograms, bar graphs, and time plots are not appropriate for identifying relationships between scale variables because they do not capture the individual data points.

Question 18

Line graphs are similar to scatterplots in that they display the relation between two _____ variables, but line graphs can also represent _____ y scores, given each x value.
A) scale; predicted
B) ordinal; predicted
C) nominal; ordinal
D) scale; scale

Accepted Answer

Line graphs and scatterplots both display the relationship between two scale variables. Line graphs, however, can also represent predicted y scores for each x value, making them useful for showing trends over time or predictions based on a model.

Question 19

A group of students graphs the number of gold medals won by each country during the Olympics.What type of graph should be used and what should the x-axis include?
A) bar graph; list of countries
B) bar graph; number of gold medals won
C) line graph; list of countries
D) line graph; number of gold medals won

Accepted Answer

A bar graph is the best choice to compare the number of gold medals won by each country. The x-axis should include the list of countries to easily see and compare the number of medals won by each.

Question 20

When constructing graphs, it is best to include the zero value on both axes:
A) when it is practical.
B) always.
C) never.
D) only when 0 is a data point measured.

Accepted Answer

Including zero on both axes when constructing graphs is best when it is practical because it provides a true representation of the data. However, there are instances where including zero might not be practical or necessary, especially if it doesn't accurately represent the scale of the data being visualized.

Quiz 3: Visual Displays of Data

Kurt is presenting data on how often owners give treats to their pets.He uses pictures of fish for cat treats and pictures of bones for dog treats in a graph of the data.Although this graph may look interesting, why should Kurt consider using a different type of graph?

Tori wants to graph the relation between number of hours spent studying and type of major (pre-med, pre-law, and the sciences) .What should be listed on the y-axis?

The background images or patterns often included in visual displays of data are known as:

Viri wants to graph the number of hours of physical activity of a specific group of children over time, following them from the ages of 2 to 17 years.What would be the BEST type of graph for these longitudinal data?

In a pie chart, each slice represents a level on the _____ variable.

Which of these is an example of the clinical application of graphs?

The cutesy images used to represent data in pictorial graphs could be considered an example of:

What should be kept in mind when organizing data in graphs?

What type of bar graph orders the categories on the x-axis from highest bar on the left to lowest bar on the right?

Scatterplots visually depict the type of relation between two variables, such as a _ relation, where the data fall along a straight line, and a _ relation, where the data follow a curved or broken pattern.

A _ depicts the relation between two scale variables, whereas a _ displays values of a scale variable within different categories of a nominal variable.

_____ are an efficient way to visually display data to identify whether there is a linear or nonlinear relation between scale variables.

Line graphs are similar to scatterplots in that they display the relation between two _ variables, but line graphs can also represent _ y scores, given each x value.

A group of students graphs the number of gold medals won by each country during the Olympics.What type of graph should be used and what should the x-axis include?

When constructing graphs, it is best to include the zero value on both axes: