Question

the graph to the right compares teaching salaries of women and men at private colleges and universities. what impression does the graph create? does the graph depict the data fairly? if not, construct a graph that depicts the data fairly. what impression does the graph create?
a. the graph creates the impression that men and women have approximately the same salaries.
b. the graph creates the impression that men have salaries that are more than twice the salaries of women.
c. the graph creates the impression that men have salaries that are slightly higher than that of women.
d. the graph creates the impression that women have salaries that are slightly higher than that of men.

Explanation:

To determine the impression, analyze the bar graph. The y - axis starts at 50000, not 0. Women's salary (around 60000) and men's salary (around 70000). Visually, the bar for men looks much taller relative to women, but the actual difference is about 10000. However, the way the y - axis is scaled (starting at 50000) makes the men's bar seem more than twice the women's (since from 50000, women's bar height is ~10000, men's ~20000, giving a visual impression of more than double). Option B matches this. Option A is wrong as salaries are different. Option C is wrong as the visual impression is more than a slight difference. Option D is wrong as men's salary is higher.

Answer:

B. The graph creates the impression that men have salaries that are more than twice the salaries of women