When comparing the boxplots of two groups, which of the following should be done?

• A. Compare the $\mathrm{medians}$, $\mathrm{interquartile} \mathrm{ranges}$, and look for potential $\mathrm{outliers}$ in each group
• B. Ignore the $\mathrm{spread}$ of the data and focus solely on the $\mathrm{maximum} \mathrm{values}$
• C. Use boxplots only for $\mathrm{qualitative} \mathrm{data}$
• D. Only compare the $\mathrm{means}$ of the two groups

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that boxplots are graphical representations used to summarize the distribution of quantitative data, highlighting key statistics such as the median, quartiles, and potential outliers.
2. Recognize that when comparing two groups using boxplots, the main features to focus on are the medians (which indicate the central tendency), the interquartile ranges (IQR, which show the spread of the middle 50% of the data), and any potential outliers (which can affect the interpretation of the data).
3. Note that ignoring the spread of the data or focusing solely on maximum values is not appropriate because it overlooks important aspects of the distribution such as variability and skewness.
4. Remember that boxplots are designed for quantitative data, so using them for qualitative data is incorrect.
5. Conclude that comparing means alone is insufficient when using boxplots, as boxplots emphasize medians and spread rather than means.