DA0-002 Data Governance Practice Question
Which type of chart is most suitable for showing the distribution of a single continuous variable?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse a histogram with a bar chart, assuming both are interchangeable for showing frequencies, but a histogram is specifically for continuous data with no gaps between bars, while a bar chart is for discrete categories with gaps.
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
✓
Histogram
A histogram is the most suitable chart for showing the distribution of a single continuous variable because it groups the data into bins (intervals) along the x-axis and displays the frequency or count of observations within each bin on the y-axis. This allows you to see the shape, spread, and central tendency of the data, such as whether it is normally distributed, skewed, or has multiple modes. For a single continuous variable, a histogram directly visualizes the probability density or frequency distribution, which is its primary purpose in data analysis.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Histogram
Why this is correct
Histograms display the frequency distribution of a continuous variable.
- ✗
Line chart
Why it's wrong here
Line charts show trends over time or ordered categories.
- ✗
Scatter plot
Why it's wrong here
Scatter plots show relationships between two variables.
- ✗
Bar chart
Why it's wrong here
A bar chart uses discrete categories on the x-axis, not a continuous scale, so it cannot accurately represent the distribution of a single continuous variable without artificially binning the data into intervals, which loses granularity. It is tempting because bar charts are commonly used to compare frequencies across groups, and they would be correct for summarising a continuous variable if the question explicitly asked for a histogram-style binned frequency display.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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