DA0-002 Visualization and Reporting Practice Question
Which TWO chart types are appropriate for visualizing the distribution of a continuous variable? (Select two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse a bar chart with a histogram, thinking both can show distribution, but a bar chart is for categorical data while a histogram is specifically for continuous data with no gaps between bars.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Box plot
A box plot (B) is appropriate for visualizing the distribution of a continuous variable because it displays the median, quartiles, and potential outliers, providing a five-number summary of the data. A histogram (D) is also appropriate as it groups continuous data into bins and shows the frequency distribution, revealing the shape, central tendency, and spread of the variable.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Bar chart
Why it's wrong here
A bar chart compares discrete categories by length, so it cannot bin a continuous variable into a frequency distribution. It tempts because it looks like a histogram, and would be correct for comparing counts across nominal groups such as regions or products.
- ✓
Box plot
Why this is correct
A box plot summarises a continuous variable's distribution through its median, quartiles and whiskers, directly exposing spread, skew and outliers. This satisfies the stem's requirement to visualise distribution rather than compare categories or show trends over time.
- ✗
Line chart
Why it's wrong here
A line chart plots values against a sequential axis to show trend over time, so it reveals change rather than the frequency shape of a continuous variable. It tempts because it handles continuous data, and would be correct for tracking a metric's movement across ordered periods.
- ✓
Histogram
Why this is correct
A histogram bins a continuous variable into intervals and plots frequency per bin, revealing the distribution's shape, central tendency and modality. Unlike a bar chart, its adjacent bars represent a continuous scale, satisfying the stem's distribution requirement.
- ✗
Pie chart
Why it's wrong here
A pie chart encodes parts of a whole, so it requires categorical slices summing to 100%, not a continuous variable's frequency across a range. It tempts because it displays proportions well, and would be correct for showing market share or budget allocation by category.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every DA0-002 question from scratch — 1,004 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This DA0-002 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DA0-002 exam.