Questions: Describe what is misleading in the following visual display of data.
Choose the correct answer below.
A. The bars are not scaled proportionately in terms of the data they represent.
B. The images in front of or behind each bar make it look as though the bars are taller than they really are.
C. The wrong impression has been created about how the data are changing because equally spaced intervals are not used on the horizontal axis.
D. The scale of the vertical axis makes the differences in bar height look larger than they really are.
Transcript text: Describe what is misleading in the following visual display of data.
Choose the correct answer below.
A. The bars are not scaled proportionately in terms of the data they represent.
B. The images in front of or behind each bar make it look as though the bars are taller than they really are.
C. The wrong impression has been created about how the data are changing because equally spaced intervals are not used on the horizontal axis.
D. The scale of the vertical axis makes the differences in bar height look larger than they really are.
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the Question
The question asks to describe what is misleading in the visual display of data and to choose the correct answer from the given options.
Step 2: Analyze the Bar Graph
Examine the bar graph titled "Sports Riches" which shows the average weekly pay for selected sports teams. Note the vertical axis scale and the height of the bars.
Step 3: Evaluate the Options
Option A: The bars are not scaled proportionately in terms of the data they represent.
Option B: The images in front of or behind each bar make it look as though the bars are taller than they really are.
Option C: The wrong impression has been created about how the data are changing because equally spaced intervals are not used on the horizontal axis.
Option D: The scale of the vertical axis makes the differences in bar height look larger than they really are.
Step 4: Determine the Correct Answer
The vertical axis scale starts at 125,000 and goes up to 275,000, which can exaggerate the differences in bar heights. This makes the differences in pay appear larger than they actually are.
Final Answer
D. The scale of the vertical axis makes the differences in bar height look larger than they really are.