A box plot is shown for a data set. Which value does the leftmost whisker of the box plot represent?

• A. The maximum value in the data set
• B. The mean of the data set
• C. The minimum value in the data set
• D. The median of the data set

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the components of a box plot: it typically includes a box, whiskers, and sometimes outliers. The box represents the interquartile range (IQR), which spans from the first quartile (Q1) to the third quartile (Q3).
2. Identify the whiskers: these lines extend from the edges of the box to the smallest and largest values within a certain range, often the minimum and maximum values of the data set, excluding outliers.
3. Recognize that the leftmost whisker in a box plot extends from the first quartile (Q1) to the minimum value in the data set (or the smallest non-outlier value).
4. Recall that the median is represented by a line inside the box, not by the whiskers, and the mean is not typically shown in a standard box plot.
5. Conclude that the leftmost whisker corresponds to the minimum value in the data set, as it marks the lowest data point within the range considered by the box plot.