Misleading Graphs Statistics Example 1

Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.

Example 1

easy
A bar graph shows Company A's sales at 100 and Company B's sales at 110, but the y-axis starts at 95 instead of 0. How does this make the graph misleading?

Solution

  1. 1
    Step 1: When the y-axis starts at 95, Company B's bar appears roughly 3 times taller than Company A's bar (15 units vs 5 units of visible height).
  2. 2
    Step 2: The actual difference is only 110−100=10110 - 100 = 10, which is a 10% increase.
  3. 3
    Step 3: By truncating the y-axis, the visual impression dramatically exaggerates the difference. Starting the axis at 0 would show the bars as nearly the same height, giving an accurate visual comparison.

Answer

The truncated y-axis (starting at 95 instead of 0) makes a 10% difference look like a 3× difference, exaggerating the gap between the two companies.
Truncating the y-axis is one of the most common ways graphs can mislead. By not starting at zero, small differences appear much larger than they actually are. Always check the axis scale when interpreting bar graphs.

About Misleading Graphs

Misleading graphs are data visualizations that distort the truth through techniques like truncated axes, inconsistent scales, cherry-picked time ranges, or manipulated aspect ratios to create false impressions and lead viewers to wrong conclusions.

Learn more about Misleading Graphs →

More Misleading Graphs Examples

Example 2 medium

A pictograph compares two companies' profits. Company X uses a small money bag symbol and Company Y

Example 3 medium

A line graph shows monthly website visits over a year, but the x-axis is not evenly spaced — January

Example 4 hard

A politician presents a pie chart showing their party received 45% of votes, but the 3D perspective

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