PL-300 Visualize and analyze the data Practice Question
Which TWO visuals are most suitable for showing the distribution of a single numeric variable? (Choose two.)
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 and whisker plot
A box and whisker plot (C) is correct because it summarizes the distribution of a single numeric variable using the median, quartiles, and potential outliers, making spread and skewness easy to see. A histogram (D) is also correct because it bins a single numeric variable and displays the frequency distribution across intervals, revealing shape, center, and spread. A pie chart (A) is not suitable because it shows parts of a whole for categorical data, not the distribution of a numeric variable. A scatter chart (B) is not suitable because it displays the relationship between two numeric variables. A bar chart (E) is not suitable because it compares categorical categories or discrete counts rather than showing the distribution of one numeric 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.
- ✗
Pie chart
Why it's wrong here
A pie chart is designed to show part-to-whole relationships for categorical data, where each slice represents a proportion of a total. It cannot effectively convey the distribution of a continuous variable because it lacks a meaningful axis for frequency or value ranges, and it cannot represent spread, skewness, or outliers. Therefore, while it shows proportions, it is not suitable for displaying a distribution.
- ✗
Scatter chart
Why it's wrong here
A scatter chart plots two numeric variables as x and y coordinates, primarily to reveal correlations, clusters, or trends between paired data points. It does not directly display the univariate distribution of a single variable; without binning or summary statistics, the frequency of values is not aggregated, making it impossible to see the overall shape of the distribution. Thus, it is unsuitable for this purpose.
- ✓
Box and whisker plot
Why this is correct
A box and whisker plot (box plot) summarizes a distribution using the five-number summary: minimum, first quartile, median, third quartile, and maximum, with whiskers indicating variability outside the upper and lower quartiles. This makes it excellent for showing the spread, central tendency, skewness, and potential outliers of a dataset at a glance. In Power BI, a box plot visual is available and is well-suited for distribution analysis.
- ✓
Histogram
Why this is correct
A histogram groups a continuous variable into bins and displays the frequency or count of observations within each bin, directly revealing the distribution's shape, including modality, skewness, and spread. It is one of the most straightforward ways to visualize how values are distributed across a range. In Power BI, histograms can be created by binning a numeric field and using a column chart, making them highly suitable for this task.
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Bar chart
Why it's wrong here
A bar chart is intended for comparing categorical categories through bar lengths, where each category is independent and the order is not inherently meaningful. If applied to a continuous numeric variable without binning, each unique value becomes a category, resulting in a fragmented, non-informative display that fails to convey frequency density or distributional shape. Therefore, a bar chart is not appropriate for showing a distribution.
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