What type of graph for discrete data

Is the data discrete or continuous? Box-and-whisker plots are considered numerical displays of data, as they are based on quantitative data the mean and median , as well as the maximum upper and minimum lower values found in the data. Also, since a box-and-whisker plot analyzes individual data points, we know that the data must be discrete, and not continuous. You will spend the next several sections learning about how to compare sets of categorical and numerical data, including data that is both discrete and continuous.

Give a graphical example of each of the following types of data. There are many possible examples, but one example for each type of data is shown below:. The graph shown above is a box-and-whisker plot. Remember that to create a box-and-whisker plot, you put the data in order and find the minimum, first quartile, median, third quartile, and maximum of the data set. Since a box-and-whisker plot analyzes individual data points to find these values, it represents discrete data. The graph shown above is a broken-line graph.

As you can see from the graph, there is no break in the line. In other words, you can choose any time between am and pm, even one involving a fraction of a second, and there will be a corresponding distance in km. Therefore, this broken line graph represents continuous data. The graph shown above is a histogram.

The horizontal axis of the histogram represents the heights of students in inches. This means that the data being counted by the histogram are numbers, so the histogram represents numerical, or quantitative, data. Continuous data is data that can take any value. Height, weight, temperature and length are all examples of continuous data. Some continuous data will change over time; the weight of a baby in its first year or the temperature in a room throughout the day.

This data is best shown on a line graph as this type of graph can show how the data changes over a given period of time. Other continuous data, such as the heights of a group of children on one particular day, is often grouped into categories to make it easier to interpret. The best choice here is b the tally chart since you can add to this data as each customer makes their choice. A bar or pie chart would also be suitable. The only choice here is c the line graph as it shows how the temperature changes over time.

The best choice here is probably a the pie chart since it shows clearly the breakdown of each type of ticket sale. A bar chart would also represent the data suitably. Making the decision to study can be a big step, which is why you'll want a trusted University.

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Table of contents. Topic navigation. Data table for Chart 5. Table 5. The information is grouped by Comparison terms appearing as row headers , Bar chart and Histogram appearing as column headers. Comparison terms Bar chart Histogram Usage To compare different categories of data. When you have a large set of discrete data that doesn't fit on a regular chart, you can use a histogram to display the distribution of the values.

The most commonly used chart type for discrete data is the column chart. Each vertical column in the chart represents one data value, with the height of the column denoting the frequency of the value.

For example, if you want to compare monthly employee sales, use a separate column for each employee, with the height of each column representing that employee's sales.

You then can easily compare staff sales numbers based on the heights of the columns. To make the chart accurate, use the same width for each column. Also, leave space between the columns to designate that the data is discrete.