Dot Plots, Histograms, and Box Plots
Compare/Contrast Matrix
Dot Plots
Characteristics for
Comparison
We can find the median in a dot
plot by counting the data points
and finding the middle one, or the
Shows the average of the middle two.
Median
Yes, we can manually count the
Tells how many number of data points above or
below a particular value.
data points are
above or below a
particular value
Dot plots display each data point
individually. This lets us see the
skew, but it may not be as obvious
Describes the as on histograms or box plots.
skew of the data
Since dot plots show every data
point, they can show us the modes
of the data. This information is
Conveys not as clear as in Histograms,
Modality however.
Dot plots show outliers, but they
may not be as obvious as in other
plots. They can be recognized as
Indicates lone points separated from the
Outliers bulk of the rest of the data.
Hand drawn
example
of a typical plot
Histograms
Histograms cannot usually convey
the median since their data are
described in ranges, not individual
points.
As long as the particular value is
dividing two of the value ranges,
histograms are quick at displaying
the number of data points above
or below the particular value.
Histograms provide readily
accessible representations of the
skew.
Histograms excel at displaying the
mode or modes of a data set.
They are found at local “peaks” in
the plot.
Similar to dot plots, histograms
can indeed show outliers. They
are small bumps in the graph
away from the main body of the
plot.
Box Plots
Box plots readily display the
median as the center line inside
the “box.”
Box plots cannot tell us anything
about the number of points.
They only display the ranges and
general distribution of the data.
Box plots excel at displaying a
data’s skew. The skew is toward
whichever side has the median
and quartile lines closer together.
Box plots do not tell us anything
about the modes of a data set.
Box plots are best for identifying
outliers, as they are marked with
special symbols.