Which of the following graphical displays is most appropriate for visually assessing whether a distribution of quantitative data is approximately $\mathrm{normal}$?

• A. Dot plot
• B. Pie chart
• C. Histogram
• D. Bar chart

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the goal: We want to visually assess if a distribution of quantitative data is approximately normal, which means checking the shape of the data distribution.
2. Recall the characteristics of a normal distribution: It is symmetric, bell-shaped, and unimodal (one peak). The graphical display should allow us to see these features clearly.
3. Evaluate each option: A dot plot shows individual data points but can be cluttered for large data sets; a pie chart is used for categorical data proportions, not for distribution shape; a bar chart is typically for categorical data frequencies, not continuous data distribution.
4. Recognize that a histogram groups quantitative data into bins and displays the frequency of data points in each bin, making it ideal to observe the overall shape, symmetry, and modality of the distribution.
5. Conclude that the histogram is the most appropriate graphical display for visually assessing whether a distribution is approximately normal.