Scatter Plots
A scatter plot (scatter graph) uses dots to represent values for two different
numeric variables. The position of each dot on the horizontal and vertical
axis indicates values for an individual data point. Scatter plots are used to
observe relationships between variables.
Scatter plots’ primary uses are to observe and show relationships between
two numeric variables. The dots in a scatter plot not only report the values of
individual data points, but also patterns when the data are taken as a whole.
Identification of correlational relationships are common with scatter plots. In
these cases, we want to know, if we were given a particular horizontal value,
what a good prediction would be for the vertical value. You will often see the
variable on the horizontal axis denoted an independent variable, and the
variable on the vertical axis the dependent variable. Relationships between
variables can be described in many ways: positive or negative, strong or
weak, linear or nonlinear.
A scatter plot can also be useful for identifying other patterns in data. We
can divide data points into groups based on how closely sets of points
cluster together. Scatter plots can also show if there are any unexpected
gaps in the data and if there are any outlier points. This can be useful if we
want to segment the data into different parts, like in the development of
user personas.
Quartile-Quartile plots
A QQ plot is a scatterplot created by plotting two sets of quantiles against
one another. If both sets of quantiles came from the same distribution, we
should see the points forming a line that's roughly straight. Here's an
example of a normal QQ plot when both sets of quantiles truly come from
normal distributions.
Histogram
A histogram is a graphical representation of a grouped frequency distribution with
continuous classes. It is an area diagram and can be defined as a set of rectangles with
bases along with the intervals between class boundaries and with areas proportional to
frequencies in the corresponding classes. In such representations, all the rectangles are
adjacent since the base covers the intervals between class boundaries. The heights of
rectangles are proportional to corresponding frequencies of similar classes and for
different classes, the heights will be proportional to corresponding frequency densities.
In other words, a histogram is a diagram involving rectangles whose area is proportional
to the frequency of a variable and width is equal to the class interval.
Density curve
A density curve is a graphical representation of a numerical distribution where the
outcomes are continuous. In other words, a density curve is the graph of a continuous
distribution. This means that density curves can represent measurements such as time
and weight (which are continuous), and NOT situations such as rolling a die (which
would be discrete). Density curves lie above or on a horizontal line, as displayed in the
bell shaped "normal distribution" (one of the most common density curves).
Measures of location
Measures of location summarize a list of numbers by a "typical" value.
The three most common measures of location are the mean, the median, and the mode.
The mean is the sum of the values, divided by the number of values. It has the smallest possible
sum of squared differences from members of the list.
The median is the middle value in the sorted list. It is the smallest number that is at least as big
as at least half the values in the list. It has the smallest possible sum of absolute differences
from members of the list.
The mode is the most frequent value in the list (or one of the most frequent values, if there are
more than one). It differs from the fewest possible members of the list.