Which graph is most suitable for showing frequency distribution of numerical data?

Which graph is most suitable for showing frequency distribution of numerical data?

• A. Pie chart.
• B. Line graph.
• C. Bar chart showing category counts.
• D. Histogram.

Answer: (D)

Showing a frequency distribution of numerical data requires a graph that groups values into numerical ranges (bins) and shows how many observations fall into each range. A histogram does exactly that by drawing bars for each bin, with height representing frequency or relative frequency. This setup reveals the distribution's shape—whether it’s centered, spread out, skewed, or has multiple peaks—information you can’t easily see with other graph types. Pie charts are best for parts of a whole with categorical data; line graphs track changes over time or another continuous axis; bar charts of category counts display distinct categories rather than a continuous numerical distribution. Therefore, the histogram is the most suitable choice for displaying the frequency distribution of numerical data.

Showing a frequency distribution of numerical data requires a graph that groups values into numerical ranges (bins) and shows how many observations fall into each range. A histogram does exactly that by drawing bars for each bin, with height representing frequency or relative frequency. This setup reveals the distribution's shape—whether it’s centered, spread out, skewed, or has multiple peaks—information you can’t easily see with other graph types. Pie charts are best for parts of a whole with categorical data; line graphs track changes over time or another continuous axis; bar charts of category counts display distinct categories rather than a continuous numerical distribution. Therefore, the histogram is the most suitable choice for displaying the frequency distribution of numerical data.