Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Practice Exam

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What type of chart is useful for identifying the most significant factors in a set of data?

Line chart
Scatter plot
Pie chart
Pareto chart

The correct answer is: Pareto chart

A Pareto chart is designed to highlight the most significant factors in a dataset by visually representing them in a way that makes it easy to identify the highest-impact elements. This chart combines both bars and a line graph, where the bars show individual values in descending order and the line represents the cumulative total. The principle behind the Pareto chart is based on the Pareto principle, or the 80/20 rule, which states that a small number of causes often will lead to a large portion of the effects. By using this chart, one can easily see which factors contribute the most to a problem or goal, thereby aiding in decision-making and prioritization of efforts for improvement. In contrast, line charts are primarily used for tracking changes over time, scatter plots illustrate the relationship between two quantitative variables, and pie charts effectively show proportions within a whole. While these other types of charts have their strengths, they do not specifically emphasize the identification of the most significant factors as effectively as a Pareto chart does.