Question

The parallel boxplots below display the bag weights of two different brands, A and B, of granola.

2 boxplots. A number line labeled weight (grams) goes from 47 to 52.5. For Brand A, the whiskers range from 48.5 to 51.5, and the box ranges from 49.8 to 50.9. A line divides the box around 50.2. For Brand B, a point is at 52.5. The whiskers range from 47.4 to 51.8, and the box ranges from 48.8 to 50.2. A line divides the box at 49.4.

Which statement best compares the variability of the distributions for the bag weights?

The bag weights for brand A are more variable than the bag weights for brand B.
The bag weights for brand A have less variability than the bag weights for brand B.
The bag weights for brand B are not as spread out as the bag weights for brand A.
The bag weights for brand A are higher, on average, than the bag weights for brand B.

Answer 1

The bag weights for brand A have less variability than the bag weights for brand B. Hence, the correct option is A.

Using the boxplot given, we can infer the variability of the dataset using the length of the box and whiskers.

Datasets with longer whiskers and wider boxes have greater variability than those with shorter whiskers and narrow boxes.

From the plots given, Brand A has shorter whisker length and a narrower box than Brand B.

Hence, Brand A has less variability than Brand B.