Question

Suppose you know the minimum, lower quartile, median, upper quartile, and maximum values for a set of data. Explain how to create a box plot for the set of data.

Answer 1

Sample Response: First, draw and label a number line. Then plot the five values that are given above the line. Draw a box from the lower quartile to the upper quartile, with a line dividing it at the median. Then draw lines from the minimum and maximum values connecting to the box to form the whiskers.

Answer 2

First, create a scale that includes all the numbers- that being, you can plot both the minimum and maximum values on it.

Next, draw a line of a set height (I tend to use 2 squares in my work) where the median is. Next, draw similar lines, at the same height, for the rest of the values- both quartiles and the maximum values. You can obviously do this in whatever order you like, but that's how I do it.

Next, join up the tops and bottoms of the quartiles, with the median in the middle, and connect the middles of the quartiles to their corresponding minimum or maximum values.

Voila, my friend. You have a box plot.