Counselor Education Comprehensive Exam (CECE) Practice Exam

What type of graph connects bars to show the frequency of scores for a variable?

1. Frequency polygon

2. Bar graph

3. Line graph

4. Histogram

The correct answer is: Frequency polygon

The correct answer refers to a frequency polygon, which is a specific type of graph that visually represents the frequency distribution of a dataset by connecting points plotted for frequencies of different values. This graph typically uses line segments to connect the midpoints of intervals (classes) on the x-axis, illustrating how frequencies change across the range of the variable. While a histogram shows the frequency of scores or observations by utilizing bars for each interval, a frequency polygon takes the data a step further by highlighting trends over those intervals through connected points. The distinction is that the histogram provides a visual representation of the frequency but does not connect the bars, which is a hallmark of a frequency polygon. A bar graph is used to display categorical data with separate bars, and a line graph is designed to showcase continuous data trends over time or another variable, rather than simply representing frequency distributions. Understanding the difference between these visual representations is crucial, especially in data analysis and interpretation within the field of counselor education.