Final answer:
The statement is false because the whiskers on a box plot do not always extend to the absolute minimum and maximum values when there are outliers present.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that “The whisker always extends to the minimum and maximum on a box plot” is false. While a box plot, also known as a box-and-whisker plot, includes whiskers, they don't always extend to the absolute minimum or maximum data values.
This is particularly the case when there are outliers. In the presence of outliers, which are marked as individual points on a box plot, the whiskers extend only to the smallest and largest data values within the range that is not considered an outlier. Outliers are typically defined as values that are more than 1.5 times the interquartile range above the third quartile or below the first quartile.
Therefore, the match between the whiskers and the minimum and maximum heavily depends on whether outliers are present in the data set. Regarding box plot construction, remember that it comprises five key values: the minimum value, the first quartile, the median, the third quartile, and the maximum value, but with the caveat about outliers.