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10.095 Misleading graphs

Lesson

 

Misleading graphs

Charts are often used in the media to show comparisons and describe trends. At times, they are also used to misrepresent information and promote a biased view.

Some of the ways in which a chart can be misleading include:

  • Biased labelling
  • Missing a scale on one of the axes
  • Not starting the vertical axis scale at zero
  • Using a scale that isn't uniform
  • Having an inappropriate scale for the given data (making variations seem less important than they are)
  • Only displaying a select portion of the data
  • Using the wrong type of chart
  • Using inappropriate scaling on chart elements like bars or sectors. 
  • Using unconventional methods

 

 

Practice question

Question 1

The Australian Labour Party released this graph after Tony Abbot was elected as Prime Minister.

  1. Which of the following comments apply:

    This graph is misleading because the scale on the vertical axis is not uniform.

    A

    This graph is misleading because it claims that there are always an equal number of male and female cabinet members to choose from

    B

    This graph is misleading because it claims that all cabinet sizes are the same.

    C

    This graph is misleading because there are no European countries included.

    D

Outcomes

MS11-2

represents information in symbolic, graphical and tabular form

MS11-7

develops and carries out simple statistical processes to answer questions posed

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