1. Listed below are the historical population estimates of the United States...
      Year     Total Population       Year     Total Population  
      1790   3,929,214     1900   75,994,575  
      1800   5,308,483     1910   91,972,266  
      1810   7,239,881     1920   105,710,620  
      1820   9,638.453     1930   122,775,046  
      1830   12,866,020     1940   131,669,275  
      1840   17,069,453     1950   150,697,361  
      1850   23,191,876     1960   179,323,175  
      1860   31,443,321     1970   203,302,031  
      1870   39,818,449     1980   226,545,805  
      1880   50,155,783     1990   248,709,873  
      1890   62,947,714     2000   281,421,906  
    1. Construct a histogram (a.k.a. a bar chart) depicting the U.S. population over the past two centuries.
    2. According to the "trend" observed in your graph, what would you estimate the population of the U.S. to be in approximately the year 2010?

     
  2. The number of congressional bills vetoed by the President of the United States from 1961 to 2001 is given in the table below:
    President Period  Total # Vetoes 
      Kennedy, John F. (D)  1961-1963 (3 yrs) 21
      Johnson, Lyndon B. (D)    1963-1969 (5 yrs)  30
      Nixon, Richard M. (R)  1969-1974 (5 yrs) 43
      Ford, Gerald R. (R)  1974-1977 (3 yrs) 66
      Carter, James E. (D)  1977-1981 (4 yrs) 31
      Reagan, Ronald W. (R)  1981-1989 (8 yrs) 78
      Bush, George W.H. (R)  1989-1993 (4 yrs) 44
      Clinton, William J. (D)  1993-2001 (8 yrs) 36
    1. Construct a histogram (a.k.a. a bar chart) for this data, where each president is represented on the horizontal axis and the number of vetoes is represented on the vertical axis.
    2. From the graph in part a (above), which president vetoed the most and which vetoed the least?
    3. Create a similar histogram using the average number of vetoes enacted per year where each president is represented on the horizontal axis.
    4. From the graph in part c (above), which president vetoed the most often and which vetoed the least often?
    5. Comparing the graphs in part a (above) and part c (above), describe how the first graph might be used to mislead an unsuspecting reader.

     
  3. Figures (in billions of dollars) for the U.S. National Debt, obtained from the U.S. Treasury's Dept. of Public Debt over the past several decades are listed in the table below:
      Year     Total Debt  
      1940 43.0  
      1950 256.1  
      1960 284.1  
      1970 370.1  
      1980 907.7  
      1990 3,665.3  
      2000 5,674.2  
    Construct a frequency polygon (a.k.a. a line graph) depicting the United States' national debt over approximately the past sixty years.

     
  4. According to the Bureau of the Census data, the number of persons residing in the United States during 1999 was 272,690,813.  The age class-intervals for residents is given in the table below:
       Age      Number of People        Age      Number of People  
      0-4 18,942,142     45-54 35,802,358  
      5-14 39,495,230     55-64 23,389,085  
      15-24 37,773,512     65-74 18,218,248  
      25-34 37,935,812     75-84 12,146,695  
      35-44 44,812,649     85+ 4,175,082  
    Construct a frequency polygon (a.k.a. a line graph) depicting the age class-intervals of persons residing in the U.S. for the year 1999.

     
  5. According to the CDC records, there were 143,928 Americans who died of external (non-natural) causes in 1999...
    Circle Graph / Pie Chart: Unnatural Deaths in the U.S. (Exercise 5)
    Using the graph above, determine the number of Americans who died due to:
    1. Homocide
    2. Suicide
    1. Motor Vehicle Accidents
    2. Other Accidents

     
  6. A typical 150-lb human being consists of the following elements (approximately by weight)...
      Element     Weight (lbs)  
      Oxygen (O) 97.5  
      Carbon (C) 27.0  
      Hydrogen (H)   15.0  
      Nitrogen (N) 4.5  
      Calcium (Ca) 3.0  
      All Others 3.0  
    1. Construct a circle graph (a.k.a. a pie chart) for the above data.
    2. Using your own body weight, determine your body's approximate composition for each element by weight.

     
  7. Shown below is a frequency polygon (a.k.a. a line graph) depicting the countries of residence for the twenty largest banks in the world...
    Line Graph / Frequency Polygon: Countries of the Worlds Largest 25 Banks (Exercise 7)
    1. Construct a histogram (a.k.a. a bar chart) representing this information.
    2. Construct a circle graph (a.k.a. a pie chart) representing this information.

     
  8. Of the three graphs representing the world's 25 largest banks (in exercise #7 above), which one do you find the most appealing?  Explain why, citing reasons such as ease of understanding, accuracy, aesthetics, etc.


  1.  
    a.     U.S. Population (millions of people) histogram
    b.   approximately 315-330 million people

  2.  
    a.     Presidential Vetoes (Total #) histogram
    b.   Ronald Reagan (most)  &  John Kennedy (least)
    c.   Presidential Vetoes (per Year) histogram
    d.   Gerald Ford (most frequently)  &  Bill Clinton (least frequently)
    e.  
    First graph may distort one's perception by not taking into account the consideration of time; e.g., someone who wants to portray Ronald Reagan as a "gridlock" president might use the first graph to support his point of view.

  3. Federal Debt (billions of dollars) line graph

  4. U.S. Age Distribution (millions of people) line graph

  5.  
    a.  Approx. 16,840 (homocide) deaths       c.  Approx. 42,459 (motor vehicle accident) deaths
    b.  Approx. 29,217 (suicide) deaths   d.  Approx. 55,412 (all other accidental) deaths

  6.  
    a.     Elements in the Human Body (percentage by weight) circle graph
    b.   Answers vary (depending on individual body weight)...
        body weight  ×  0.97  =  amount (wt) of O
        body weight  ×  0.18  =  amount (wt) of C
          body weight  ×  0.10  =  amount (wt) of H
            body weight  ×  0.03  =  amount (wt) of N
              body weight  ×  0.02  =  amount (wt) of Ca
                body weight  ×  0.02  =  amount (wt) of all other elements combined
  7. a.
    World's 25 Largest Banks histogram (bar chart)
    b.
    World's 25 Largest Banks circle graph (pie chart)
  8. Answers will vary (according to individual preferences)...