Why would someone choose to create a $histogram$ instead of a $bar$ chart?

• A. A $histogram$ is better for comparing the frequencies of different categories.
• B. A $histogram$ can only be used when the data are $nominal$.
• C. A $histogram$ is used to show the relationship between two variables.
• D. A $histogram$ is used to display the distribution of a $continuous$ variable, while a $bar$ chart is used for $categorical$ data.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between the types of data: Continuous data can take any value within a range, while categorical data represent distinct groups or categories.
2. Recognize that a histogram is designed to display the distribution of continuous data by grouping data into intervals or bins and showing the frequency of data points within each bin.
3. Know that a bar chart is used to compare frequencies or counts of different categories, where each bar represents a separate category and the bars are typically separated by spaces.
4. Note that histograms have adjacent bars touching each other to indicate the continuous nature of the data, whereas bar charts have gaps between bars to emphasize the discrete categories.
5. Conclude that someone would choose a histogram over a bar chart when they want to visualize the distribution and frequency of continuous data rather than comparing distinct categories.