Abuses of Statistical Diagrams

Let’s see
Sometimes, thethe following example
presentation of statistical
about the monthly
diagrams may sales of two different
be misleading.
brands of mobile phones.
 NEWS

What is the ratio of the lengths of the bars?

Length of the bar for brand A : length of the bar for brand B = 1 : 3

What is the ratio of the sales of the two brands of mobile

phones?
Sales of brand A : sales of brand B = 5 : 7
The difference in the actual A big lead on sales of
brand B mobile phone
sales of the two brands of
mobile phones is not great 70

Sales (hundred)
(they are in the ratio 5 : 7).
60

However, since the vertical 50

axis does not start from zero
(it starts from 40), 40
A B
Brand
the diagram may give readers a false
impression that the sales of brand B
mobile phones is 3 times that of
brand A.
To present the data appropriately, the vertical axis of the
graph should start from zero as below:

Monthly sales of 2 brands

of mobile phones

80
Sales (hundred)

60

40

20

0
A B
Brand
The following statistical diagram shows the annual watermelon
production in a farm from 2014 to 2015.

Annual watermelon production

(ten thousands) in a farm from 2014 to 2015
Production

20

10

0
2014 2015
Year

What is the ratio of the number of watermelons produced in

2014 to that in 2015? 1 : 2
 Annual watermelon production
in a farm from 2014 to 2015

(ten thousands)
Production
20

10

0
2014 2015
Year

The numbers of watermelons produced in 2014 and 2015 are

actually in the ratio 1 : 2.

However, due to the sizes of the watermelons, the readers

may be misled that the number of watermelons produced in
2015 is much greater than that in 2014.
It is better to present the data using the following statistical
diagram:

Annual watermelon production

in a farm from 2014 to 2015
(ten thousands)
Production

20

10

0
2014 2015
Year
In conclusion:

We should pay attention to the following when reading a

statistical diagram:
1. Whether the vertical axis starts from zero.
2. Whether the graphics used are of appropriate
proportion.
 Follow-up question
The following two broken-line graphs show the profits of a
company from 2013 to 2015.
Annual profit of a company Annual profit of a company
Profit (million dollars)

Profit (million dollars)

23
20
22
10
21
2013 2014 2015 0
Year 2013 2014 2015
Year
Fig. (1) Fig. (2)

1. Which graph gives an impression that the company profit

grew very fast? Fig. (1)
2. Which graph presents the profit growth of the company
appropriately? Fig. (2)