Deck 10: Managing Data and Using Graphics

Question 1

Which of the following statements is true of pie charts?

A)They are ineffective in showing percentages.
B)They make it easier to understand processes.
C) They are ineffective in showing quantitative totals.
D) They present data in columns and rows.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is a guideline you should follow when constructing pie charts?

A)Position the smallest slice or the slice that needs less emphasis at the 12 o'clock position.
B)Avoid labeling all the slices.
C) While labeling the slices, exclude information about the quantitative size, such as percentage, dollars, of each slice.
D) A legend should be used if it is not possible to place the appropriate labeling information beside each slice.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Lumeria is a state in Karlinton. The Board of Education of Lumeria is compiling information on the number of high school graduates who attended the state's public universities the previous year. In this case, which of the following graphics will best represent the data?

A)A flowchart
B)A blueprint
C) A table
D) A line chart

Answer 3

C

Question 4

For preparing an effective table, you should:

A)give the table a title that forces the reader to review the table.
B)place a superscript symbol beside an entry that requires additional explanation.
C) refer to the table as "the following table" or "the figure on the following page."
D) document the source of the data presented by adding source notes above the table.

Question 5

One of the purposes of using graphics in a written discussion is to _____ data.

A)eliminate
B)reinforce
C) understate
D) decentralize

Question 6

Linda is preparing a report on the interest rates on loans charged by banks in the United States. In this case, which of the following is an effective talking title for her report?

A)Interest Rates on Loans Charged by Banks in the United States
B)U.S. Rates of Interest on Loans Charged by Banks from January-April
C) U.S. Interest Rates Decreased on Loans Charged by Banks During January-April
D) News on Interest Rates on Loans Charged by Banks

Question 7

The director of human resources at Perlis Inc., an automobile manufacturing company, wants to chart employee absenteeism over a two-year period. He wants to represent this data graphically. In this scenario, the data will be best represented by a _____.

A)flowchart
B)pie chart
C) line chart
D) map

Question 8

Allen is an intern at Changing Lives, a child service organization. He is preparing a pie chart to show how the organization's administrative overhead expenditure is lower than the children's service expenditure. To make the chart easy to understand, Allen should:

A)avoid using legends to identify the slices.
B)explode the slices that need to be emphasized.
C) label only those slices that reflect service programs.
D) use 3D-type formatting.

Question 9

Identify a true statement about communicating quantitative data.

A)Proportions or ratios paint a confusing picture for readers.
B)When tabulating research results of people's opinions and preferences, statistics should be rounded off to the most accurate decimal point.
C) Common language reduces difficult figures to the common denominators of language and ideas.
D) The breakdown of quantitative information reduces the effectiveness of the information.

Question 10

Fractions, ratios, and percentages are examples of _____.

A)common language
B)data distortion
C) diverse language
D) qualitative interpretation

Question 11

To avoid visual distortion in a bar chart, _____.

A)keep the labeling elaborate
B)begin the quantitative axis at one or more than one
C) use bars of equal width
D) divide the bars into increasing increments

Question 12

Which of the following is a suggestion that you should follow for constructing effective bar charts?

A)Use gridlines to avoid visual distortion.
B)Avoid frills such as 3D formatting.
C) Use elaborate labeling for better understanding.
D) Avoid positioning the bars chronologically.

Question 13

Which of the following is a guideline you should follow for preparing an effective table?

A)Avoid using numbers to refer to the table.
B)Use titles that compel readers to review the table.
C) Indent the second line of a label for the rows two or three spaces.
D) Avoid adding source notes and explanatory notes beneath the table.

Question 14

Which of the following is a guideline you should follow to ensure the effective use of graphics?

A)Save graphics for data that can be easily communicated in words.
B)Incorporate a wide selection of typefaces and colors while using graphics.
C) Use graphics to contribute to the overall understanding of the idea under discussion.
D) Make sure the graphics used exceed the text significantly.

Question 15

Logan is compiling data on the sales of video game consoles for four age categories over the last five years. He wants to use a graphic to depict how the four age categories contribute to the total sales every year. In this scenario, _____ will best represent the data.

A)a segmented bar chart
B)a flow chart
C) the Gantt chart
D) a scatter plot chart

Question 16

In the context of pictograms, the term _____ is specific to interfaces on computers or other electronic devices.

A)hologram
B)barcode
C) icon
D) database

Question 17

Identify a true statement about the use of graphics.

A)Visual data cannot be distorted easily.
B)A few pages of graphics can effectively convey several hundred pages of text.
C) Use of graphics eliminates the need of reading the text.
D) Extreme use of graphics adds to the impact of the material presented.

Question 18

A segmented bar chart is also called a_____.

A)surface chart
B)stacked bar chart
C) clustered bar chart
D) cumulative chart

Question 19

Thomas is preparing a report on the cost of living in the seven most populous cities in the world. He decides to include a graphic that will help his readers compare the cost of living in all the seven cities. In this case, which of the following graphics will best represent the data?

A)An organizational chart
B)A flowchart
C) A bar chart
D) The Gantt chart

Question 20

Which of the following is a variation of the bar chart?

A)An area chart
B)The Gantt chart
C) A flowchart
D) A pie chart

Question 21

_____, a variation of the bar chart, is useful for tracking progress toward completing a series of events over time.

A)An area chart
B)The Gantt chart
C) A flowchart
D) A pie chart

Question 22

Graphics must be saved for data that are difficult to communicate in words alone.

Question 23

Julius, a manager in a data analytics company, has assigned five of his team members to a particular project. At the end of every week, he is required to submit a progress report to his supervisor. For this, he needs to create a chart that will allow him to efficiently track his team members' progress by scheduling different activities and plotting the planned and actual hours put into those tasks. In this case, which of the following charts would best fulfill Julius's requirement?

A)An area chart
B)The Gantt chart
C) A flowchart
D) The Pournelle chart

Question 24

When interpreting and analyzing a graphic, _____.

A)avoid placing the graphic after its introduction
B)ensure that the graphic follows a dual numbering system in the text
C) avoid a mere restatement of what the graphic obviously shows
D) use fancy formatting such as 3D

Question 25

Which of the following is true of a talking title?

A)It often leads to misinterpretation of information.
B)It should be avoided as it takes up too much space and gives a graphic a cluttered look.
C) It helps save a manager time in understanding the data in a graphic.
D) It includes the same amount of information as a descriptive title.

Question 26

Organizational charts are an example of _____.

A)line charts
B)flowcharts
C) pie charts
D) bar charts

Question 27

Madison is preparing a report on war fatalities in three different war zones. She has designed a bar chart that compares the number of fatalities in each war zone and wants to include the bar chart in her report. In this scenario, which of the following guidelines should Madison follow?

A)She should insert the bar chart in the report immediately after introducing it and then include an analysis after it.
B)She should use more of color highlights and 3D formatting in the bar chart to reduce clutter and increase readability.
C) She should place the interpretation and analysis of the bar chart before it appears in the report.
D) She should place the analysis of the bar chart in the references section of the report.

Question 28

Common language does not involve the use of indicators or actual counts.

Question 29

Which of the following should you do when interpreting and analyzing a graphic presented within text?

A)Restate what the graphic shows.
B)Emphasize the main point you are making.
C) Include additional graphics to reiterate what the main graphic states.
D) List all the statistics presented in the text to emphasize their importance.

Question 30

_____ are graphics that can be incorporated into reports.

A)Cartoons
B)Index cards
C) Anecdotes
D) Bibliographies

Question 31

In a written report, if graphics appear before readers have been informed, _____.

A)the graphics will reduce clutter and increase readability
B)the readers will begin to study the graphics and draw their own inferences
C) the readers will take less time to accurately interpret the data
D) the graphics will lead to visual distortion

Question 32

The use of graphics is generally avoided in reports because they are complicated and difficult to understand.

Question 33

Which of the following statements is true of organizational charts?

A)They must be revised when businesses change.
B)They are difficult to revise if they are prepared using word-processing software.
C) They are a form of line charts.
D) They make narrative discussions unwieldy.

Question 34

Illumination Apparel is a fashion retailer chain. In 2001, it opened 126 outlets in different cities. Stacy, a sales manager at Illumination Apparel, has to present the data on the total revenue generated in these 126 outlets in the last 10 years. In this case, which of the following graphics is best suited for Stacy's presentation?

A)A photograph
B)A pictogram
C) A map
D) A flowchart

Question 35

Angela wants to teach her employees how to handle customer service complaints efficiently. She creates a procedure manual that includes a step-by-step diagram with written instructions. In this case, the graphic used in the procedure manual is a _____.

A)bar chart
B)flowchart
C) pictogram
D) pie chart

Question 36

Which of the following numbering systems is recommended when incorporating graphs, pictures, and tables in a written report?

A)Number the graphs as "Graph 1," and so on, the pictures as "Figure 1," and so on, and the tables as "Table 1," and so on.
B)Number the graphs and the pictures as "Figure 1," and so on, and the tables as "Table 1," and so on.
C) Number all the graphs, pictures, and tables in a single numbering system-that is, "Figure 1," "Figure 2," and so on.
D) Use only Roman numerals while numbering the graphics.

Question 37

Including a flowchart with written instructions:

A)helps illustrate the trends in quantitative data.
B)is effective for showing geographic relationships of data.
C) minimizes the chance of errors in work tasks.
D) helps show quantitative totals or comparisons.

Question 38

Identify a true statement about maps.

A)They are less concise than written messages.
B)They are less confusing than written messages.
C) They are less interesting than written messages.
D) They are less visual than written messages.

Question 39

When tabulating research results, exact statistics rather than rounded off fractions and percentages help paint a clear picture for readers.

Question 40

As people tend to make comparisons during analysis from a tabulation, the totals are helpful in communicating quantitative information.

Question 41

A line chart is similar to an area chart.

Question 42

When constructing bar charts, position the bars chronologically or in some other logical order.

Question 43

When constructing pie charts, label each slice and include information about the quantitative size, such as percentage, dollars, etc., of each slice.

Question 44

In the context of effective use of graphics, ample use of color, symbols and art techniques, and unusual combinations of typefaces reduce the impact of the material presented.

Question 45

A line chart is an effective graphic for comparing housing prices in a particular region with housing prices in another region.

Question 46

When reorganization of units takes place in a business, the organizational charts must be revised.

Question 47

Electronic presentations, flip charts, whiteboards, and overhead transparencies are the visual means most often used to accompany presentations.

Question 48

Explain why quantitative data from a research study must be condensed into a manageable size before you can interpret it.

Question 49

When constructing line charts, the vertical or quantity increments must be the same as the horizontal or time increments so that the line or lines drawn will have reasonable slopes.

Question 50

A pie chart is the best type of graphic aid that can be used to show the percentage of total sales contributed by salesperson for an organization.

Question 51

Selecting the graphic type that will depict data in the most effective manner is the first decision you must make when preparing presentations.

Question 52

Visual data can be distorted easily, leading the reader to form incorrect opinions about the data.

Question 53

Arbitrary changes in the design of graphics (e.g., use of colors, typefaces, three-dimensional, or flat designs) within a single organizational report make the report look interesting and hold the readers' attention.

Question 54

Grouped bar charts are also called 100% bar charts.

Question 55

Revisions to organizational charts become complex when prepared using word-processing or graphics software.

Question 56

When preparing a table, if more than one source was used to prepare a visual, superscripts should not be used.

Question 57

A graphic that will not fit on the page where it is introduced should be placed in the appendix.

Question 58

An introduction and a brief explanation of a graphic in a report should appear after the graphic is shown.

Question 59

The use of photographs in annual reports makes it difficult for the general audience to understand complex concepts.

Question 60

When an effective graphic is used in a report, there is no need for additional interpretation and analysis of the data.

Question 61

Discuss the guidelines for interpreting and analyzing a graphic.

Question 62

Discuss some of the important design principles that need to be followed while creating a graphic.

Question 63

Susan, an accounts manager at Westbrin Inc., has been asked to give a presentation on budgeting to help the employees of the company understand where and how they should spend their money. From the data gathered from her research, she has discovered that typical households spend their income in the following areas:
​
35% Housing
20% Transportation
20% Food
10% Health care and health insurance
5% Clothing
5% Credit card debt and interest
5% Entertainment
​
Select an appropriate visual that can help Susan represent this information in her presentation, and explain why the visual will be appropriate for the presentation.

Question 64

Explain organizational charts.

Question 65

List the general guidelines for constructing pie charts.

Question 66

Explain the term graphics. Discuss the purpose of using graphics with a written discussion.

Question 67

List seven graphic aids that can be used for data illustration and interpretation.

Question 68

Explain the pattern for including graphics in text.

Question 69

What is common language? How does common language help professionals manage quantities of data efficiently?

Question 70

Explain the difference between a talking title and a descriptive title.

Question 71

List and discuss five suggestions related to constructing bar charts.

Question 72

Rancorps Inc. conducts a survey of its employees to determine their interest in learning about financial planning. The given table shows the data of the responses. The results of this survey will be reported to the director of human resources and will be used to develop a financial planning training seminar for the employees.
​
Personal Development Need
Number
Percentage
Retirement Annuity
128
32
Traditional and Roth IRA
104
26
Mutual Funds
80
20
Internet Stock Trading
52
13
Effective Charitable Giving
36
9
Total
400
100
​
Write an analysis of this data, and explain the results of the survey. The analysis will be included in the written report that will be sent to the director of human resources.
​
​
​

Question 73

The following are poor examples of introductions of graphics. Rewrite each of these sentences to effectively introduce the graphic in the text. Provide any additional information that may be needed.
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a. Figure 1 shows preferences for shopping locations.
b. Figure 1 shows enrollment for software training programs.
c. Figure 1 shows the response of managers about working hours.
d. Figure 1 shows the breakdown of cell phone users.