Which statement best describes a three-dimensional scatterplot?

Which statement best describes a three-dimensional scatterplot?

• A. A three-dimensional scatterplot plots one variable against a second, and includes a third variable on the depth axis.
• B. A three-dimensional scatterplot cannot show more than two variables.
• C. A three-dimensional scatterplot is simply two two-dimensional plots.
• D. A three-dimensional scatterplot cannot be used to show relationships.

Answer: (B)

A three-dimensional scatterplot uses three axes to show how three quantitative variables relate to each other. Each data point has coordinates (x, y, z), with two variables plotted on the horizontal plane and the third var plotted along the depth axis. This lets you see how the first two variables relate and how the third variable varies with them in three-dimensional space. If you need to convey even more information, you can encode a fourth variable by using color, size, or symbol shape, but the basic plot already represents three variables through the three axes.

A three-dimensional scatterplot uses three axes to show how three quantitative variables relate to each other. Each data point has coordinates (x, y, z), with two variables plotted on the horizontal plane and the third var plotted along the depth axis. This lets you see how the first two variables relate and how the third variable varies with them in three-dimensional space. If you need to convey even more information, you can encode a fourth variable by using color, size, or symbol shape, but the basic plot already represents three variables through the three axes.