Misleading Graphs

Question 1

Employee annual wages at a plant rose steadily, but very gradually, from one year to the next during one 5-year period. An employee representative wants to show that wages are rising minimally. Examine the following charts and decide which graph the employee representative would want to use and why. Graph A Graph B

Revolt · Accepted Answer

The employee representative would want to use Graph A to show that wages are rising minimally because Graph A appears to show the wages increasing at a much slower rate than Graph B.

Question 2

“Just look at the graph,” the player’s agent said. “Phil’s hits have doubled since last year. We are looking for a large raise and a long contract.” Look at the graph. Is the agent’s claim misleading? Why or why not?

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Both b and c.

Question 3

Which magazine actually has twice the circulation of Circuitry Today?

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Fossil Week

Question 4

Use the graph below. Explain why the intervals on the horizontal axis could make the graph misleading.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

The intervals are not comparable. The shorter bar spans more than 10 years.

Question 5

Below are two graphs that show the same data. Graph A is drawn with a break in the vertical axis. Graph B is drawn without the break. Graph A Graph B Describe the effect the change in scale has on what the graph suggests.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

The differences between the groups seems much less in Graph B.

Question 6

These data tables show sales of the Earn a Million-a-Day At Home video. Read the table, and then examine the graphs below. Week 1 2 3 4 5 Sales 252 246 265 276 280 The graphs show the same data. Why do they have different appearances?

Revolt · Accepted Answer

The graphs use different scales on their axes. A graph with a vertical axis that starts near 250 rather than zero exaggerates the changes in sales, even though both graphs show the same data.

Question 7

Eighty percent of all dentists surveyed agree: Zilch toothpaste tastes best. Do you think this information is misleading? Why or why not?

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Yes, because it does not state how many dentists were surveyed.

Question 8

Explain why the graph below might be misleading.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

The graph has no scale, so it’s impossible to compare the money earned.

Question 9

A sales representative for a new soft drink is trying to convince a chain of food stores to order a much larger quantity.The salesperson uses the graph below in the sales pitch. What is deceptive about the graph?

Revolt · Accepted Answer

All of the above.

Question 10

Employee annual wages at a plant rose steadily, but very gradually, from one year to the next during one 5-year period. The factory owner wants to show that worker’s wages are rising rapidly. Examine the following charts and decide which graph the factory owner would want to use and why. Graph A Graph B

Revolt · Accepted Answer

The owner would use Graph B. Its shortened vertical scale makes the gradual increase from $10 to $12 per hour look much steeper and faster than it really is.

Misleading Graphs Answers

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