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A researcher records the noon temperature every day for a month and wants a graph that shows how the readings change as the days pass, in order. Which display fits best?
AA pie chart of the values
BA bar graph by category
CA stem-and-leaf display
DA time series graph
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. A time series graph
1. Each reading is paired with a date, so the data carry a chronological order worth showing.
2. A time series graph plots dates on the horizontal axis and the measured values on the vertical axis, connected in order.
3. That display makes the day-to-day trend visible, which is exactly what the researcher wants.
4. Pie charts, bar graphs, and stem-and-leaf displays all throw away the time ordering of the readings.
_Source: OpenStax Introductory Business Statistics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 2 "Descriptive Statistics", section 2.1 Display Data_
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