Which graph is best for summarizing data where values are close together and you want to see distribution in detail?

• A. Circle graph
• B. Line graph
• C. Scatter plot
• D. Stem and leaf plot

Answer: (D)

When values are close together and you want to see the distribution in detail, a stem-and-leaf plot is ideal because it keeps each data point intact while organizing them by place value. The stems show the leading digits (the broad range), and the leaves display the exact trailing digits, so you can see the shape of the data, where values cluster, and any gaps or outliers at a glance. This combines the precision of listing all numbers with the quick visual summary of a histogram.

A circle graph (pie chart) focuses on parts of a whole, not the exact distribution of many values. A line graph emphasizes how a value changes over time or another ordered variable, not the spread of a single dataset. A scatter plot displays relationships between two variables, requiring pairs of numbers, which isn’t what you need when summarizing distribution for a single set of close values.

So for detailed distribution of a closely grouped dataset, the stem-and-leaf plot lets you see both the overall shape and the actual data points.