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: Histogram

The correct choice is a frequency polygon. A frequency polygon is created by connecting the midpoints of the tops of the bars in a histogram with a line, which effectively shows the frequency of scores for a variable. In contrast, a histogram itself is a type of bar graph that displays the frequency of continuous data, but it does not involve connecting the bars with lines. It represents the distribution of data points in different ranges or intervals. A bar graph typically presents categorical data with distinct bars that do not connect, while a line graph is used to show trends over time and connects data points with lines, which is not specifically focused on frequency distributions. Thus, a frequency polygon succinctly captures the idea of connecting bars to illustrate frequencies, making it the most fitting answer to the question.