Which of the following best describes how a Pareto chart differs from a standard vertical bar graph when visualizing data?

• A. A Pareto chart uses horizontal bars, while a standard vertical bar graph uses vertical bars.
• B. A Pareto chart is used only for $\mathrm{quantitative}$ data, whereas a standard vertical bar graph is used for $\mathrm{qualitative}$ data.
• C. A Pareto chart always includes a line graph for cumulative totals, while a standard vertical bar graph never does.
• D. A Pareto chart displays bars in descending order of $\mathrm{frequency}$, while a standard vertical bar graph does not require any specific order.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the purpose of a standard vertical bar graph: it displays categorical data with bars representing frequencies or counts, and the bars can be in any order, often the order categories appear or alphabetical.
2. Recognize that a Pareto chart is a specialized type of bar graph used primarily for quality control and identifying the most significant factors in a dataset.
3. Note that in a Pareto chart, the bars are arranged in descending order of frequency or magnitude, which helps highlight the most important categories first.
4. Remember that a Pareto chart typically includes a line graph that shows the cumulative total percentage, which is not a requirement for a standard vertical bar graph.
5. Conclude that the key difference is the ordering of bars by frequency in a Pareto chart and the inclusion of a cumulative line, whereas a standard vertical bar graph does not require these features.