When polygons or histograms are constructed, which axis must show the true zero or "origin"?
A) the horizontal axis
B) the vertical axis
C) both the horizontal and vertical axes
D) neither the horizontal nor the vertical axis

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The vertical axis must show the true zero or "origin" in order to accurately represent the values being plotted on the histogram or polygon. This is because the height of the bars in a histogram or points in a polygon represent the frequency or count of values falling within a certain range. In order for these representations to be accurate, the vertical axis must start at zero to avoid distorting the scale and making differences between values appear larger or smaller than they actually are. The horizontal axis, on the other hand, typically represents categories or intervals and does not necessarily need to start at zero.

When Polygons or Histograms Are Constructed, Which Axis Must Show