Which of the following could be a cumulative frequency graph?

• A. An ogive
• B. A histogram
• C. A pie chart
• D. A bar chart

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand what a cumulative frequency graph represents. It shows the accumulation of frequencies up to a certain class or value, meaning each point on the graph represents the total frequency for all classes up to that point.
2. Step 2: Recognize that an ogive is a type of graph specifically designed to display cumulative frequencies. It is constructed by plotting cumulative frequencies against the upper class boundaries and connecting the points with a smooth curve or straight lines.
3. Step 3: Recall the characteristics of the other options: a histogram displays frequencies for individual classes using bars, a pie chart shows proportions of categories as slices of a circle, and a bar chart compares frequencies or counts for different categories with separate bars.
4. Step 4: Compare these characteristics to the definition of a cumulative frequency graph. Since only the ogive accumulates frequencies and plots them cumulatively, it fits the description of a cumulative frequency graph.
5. Step 5: Conclude that among the given options, the ogive is the correct choice for a cumulative frequency graph because it visually represents the running total of frequencies.