Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) Practice Test

Which type of graph can show the possible relationship between two sets of data?

1. Scatter plot

2. Bar graph

3. Circle graph

4. Line graph

The correct answer is: Scatter plot

A scatter plot is specifically designed to illustrate the possible relationships between two sets of data. Each point on a scatter plot represents an observation, with its position determined by the values of the two variables being compared. This allows for visual analysis of how one variable may affect or relate to another, making it an ideal choice for identifying trends, correlations, or patterns in data sets. In contrast, a bar graph typically represents categorical data with rectangular bars, where the lengths of the bars illustrate the quantity of each category, but it does not effectively show relationships between two continuous variables. A circle graph, or pie chart, displays parts of a whole as percentages, which is useful for demonstrating proportional relationships but not for showcasing direct relationships between two data sets. A line graph is often used to illustrate changes over time or trends within a single variable rather than directly comparing two different sets of data. Therefore, the scatter plot stands out as the most suitable option for representing the relationship between two distinct sets of numerical data.