ITPEC IP April 2018 Question 68
When there are n evaluation items, n evaluation axes are drawn from the center of a circle so that the circle can be divided into n equal pieces, and then evaluation values are plotted on each axis. Which of the following is the appropriate chart or diagram that is used for determining the relative balance between evaluation items and the distance from averages by connecting neighboring plotted points with line segments?
Explanation
Radar chart — axes for the evaluation items radiate from the centre, and joining the plotted values shows the balance of the items as a polygon.
Each of the n items gets an axis at equal angles around a circle. The values are plotted on the axes and neighbouring points are connected, so a lopsided polygon shows an imbalance at a glance, and drawing the average as a second polygon shows how far each item is from it. It is used, for example, to compare financial ratios with the industry average or to show a person's skill profile.
Answer (d)
Why not others:
- •(a) Z chart — plots monthly values, their cumulative total and the moving annual total on one graph, forming a Z; it shows a trend over time
- •(b) Scatter diagram — plots pairs of two variables to show whether they are correlated
- •(c) Fan chart — sets each item to 100 at a base point and draws its later values as percentages, so the lines spread like a fan; it shows growth rates over time
Key rule: Balance across several items at one time is a radar chart; trends over time are Z or fan charts; the relation between two variables is a scatter diagram.
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