You would use line plots for the following reasons:

• They are easy to read

• They are easy to make

• They are best when you have fewer than 25 points

• They can be turned into histograms

• They show the following information:

  Clusters — isolated groups of points

  Gaps — large spaces between points

  Outliers — data values that are substantially bigger or smaller

  Variability — how spread the data is

This is how to make a line plot:

1. Gather data.

2. Determine the highest and lowest values.

3. Make a number line showing consistent intervals.

4. Put x’s or some symbol above the line to show a data point.

5. Use a code or abbreviation to recognize different data categories, if so desired.