Area in graphs

This is one type of a misleading graph.

Bar graph of average weekly Australian spending.

Discussion points

• What is the title of the graph?
• What is being represented on the horizontal axis?
• What is being represented vertically?
• In a bar graph the area of a bar is proportional to the quantity represented in the bar, so how is this graph misleading?
• What percentage of the weekly spending is spent on transport?
• What percentage of the amount spent on transport would the area shown on the graph appear to represent?
• Why do you think the reporter produced this plot?
• Explain why we cannot find a median for this data set.

Suggested answers for misleading area graphs can be downloaded.