Qualitative data can be graphically represented by using a(n)?
(a) histogram
(b) frequency polygon
(c) dot plot
(d) bar chart
(c) box-and-whisker plot
(f) all of the above can be used to describe qualitative data
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is (d) bar chart.
Explanation:
Qualitative data refers to non-numeric information that is categorized based on qualities or characteristics. This type of data can represent categories or groups, such as colors, types of animals, brands, or survey responses (yes/no, satisfied/unsatisfied). Graphing qualitative data effectively requires tools that can visually represent the frequency or distribution of different categories.
Let’s break down each option:
- Histogram: This is used for quantitative data and shows the distribution of numerical data. It divides the data into bins or intervals and shows the frequency of data points within each interval. Since qualitative data cannot be divided into continuous numerical intervals, histograms are not suitable for it.
- Frequency Polygon: This is essentially a line graph that shows the frequencies of data points in a quantitative dataset. It also relies on numerical intervals and is not appropriate for qualitative data.
- Dot Plot: Although dot plots can be used for both qualitative and quantitative data, they are more commonly used for small sets of quantitative data, where each dot represents an individual data point. For qualitative data, a bar chart or pie chart is typically a more effective choice.
- Bar Chart: A bar chart is ideal for qualitative data because it uses bars to represent different categories. Each bar’s height corresponds to the frequency or count of observations in that category. Bar charts are easy to interpret and visually distinguish between different categories, making them one of the best tools for displaying qualitative data.
- Box-and-Whisker Plot: This type of plot is used for displaying the distribution of quantitative data, showing the minimum, first quartile, median, third quartile, and maximum. It is not suitable for qualitative data.
In conclusion, a bar chart is the most appropriate graphical representation for qualitative data because it categorizes and compares different groups or categories.