What does a scatter plot illustrate?

A scatter plot is a graphical representation that illustrates the relationship between two quantitative variables. Each point on the scatter plot corresponds to a pair of values for these variables, allowing observers to identify potential correlations or patterns. For instance, by plotting height against weight, one could visually assess whether taller individuals tend to weigh more, thus establishing a relationship.

This type of visual tool is particularly effective in identifying trends, outliers, and the strength of association between the variables. When evaluating data sets, analyzing these relationships can provide insights into how one variable may influence or relate to another, which is fundamental in fields such as statistics, data science, and business analytics.

In contrast, options referring to the distribution of a single variable, the comparison of categorical data, or the trend of a variable over time are not applicable to scatter plots. These other types of presentations require different graphical representations, such as histograms, bar charts, or line graphs, which serve distinct purposes and visualize various aspects of data analysis.