Using data on the average national cost of regular grade gasoline by month since 2006, to show clearly how the cost of gasoline has changed over time, the best choice of graph is a:
A) bar graph.
B) line graph.
C) pie chart.
D) histogram.
E) scatterplot.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A line graph is best suited to show changes in data over time, which is exactly what is required for this data on the cost of gasoline. A bar graph would be useful for comparing different categories, such as the cost of gasoline in different states, but not for tracking changes over time. A pie chart would be more appropriate for showing proportions of a whole, such as the portions of the budget allocated to different departments in a business. A histogram would be useful for showing the distribution of a single variable, such as a range of test scores, but not for tracking changes in a single variable over time. A scatterplot is useful for showing the relationship between two variables, such as the relationship between a person's income and their level of education.

Using Data on the Average National Cost of Regular Grade