When graphing your data, it is important to choose a visualization method that matches the type of data you have. Which of the following best illustrates this principle?

• A. Use a pie chart for $\mathrm{quantitative}$ data and a scatterplot for $\mathrm{qualitative}$ data.
• B. Use a histogram for $\mathrm{qualitative}$ data and a bar chart for $\mathrm{quantitative}$ data.
• C. Always use a line graph regardless of the data type.
• D. Use a bar chart for $\mathrm{qualitative} \left(\mathrm{categorical}\right)$ data and a histogram for $\mathrm{quantitative} \left(\mathrm{numerical}\right)$ data.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the types of data. Quantitative data represents numerical values that can be measured or counted, such as height or weight. Qualitative data (also called categorical data) represents categories or groups, such as colors or types of fruit.
2. Step 2: Recognize appropriate visualization methods for each data type. For quantitative data, histograms are useful because they show the distribution of numerical values by grouping data into intervals (bins).
3. Step 3: For qualitative data, bar charts are appropriate because they display the frequency or count of each category clearly, with separate bars for each category.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the incorrect options: Pie charts are typically used for categorical data, not quantitative; scatterplots are used for quantitative data to show relationships between two numerical variables; line graphs are best for showing trends over time, not for all data types.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best practice is to use a bar chart for qualitative data and a histogram for quantitative data, as this matches the visualization method to the data type effectively.