10.1.3: Qualitative Variable Analysis
- Page ID
- 63623
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Semester Project – Assignment 2: Visualizing a Qualitative Variable
In this portion of your housing data project, you’ll analyze a qualitative (categorical) variable from your collected rental data. You now have information from two cities and 40 1-bedroom rental listings from each, this gives you the opportunity to explore patterns and insights in categories like pet policy, parking type, or flooring material.
Your goal is to summarize this variable using a frequency table and three visual methods: a pie chart, a bar graph, and written analysis. You’ll also begin crafting a new section of your final report: Visual Summary of a Categorical Variable.
Objectives
- Analyze graphical and numerical summaries of categorical data
- Use technology tools (e.g., Excel or Google Sheets) to build high-quality visualizations
- Draw conclusions from real-world housing data
Assignment Steps
- Create a frequency table that counts how often each category appears in your selected qualitative variable (e.g., how many listings allowed pets, or what types of parking were most common).
- Use the table to create two separate graphs:
- A pie chart
- A bar graph
- In a Text Box (or a Notes section in your spreadsheet or document), respond to the following:
- Which chart better represents your data — bar graph or pie chart? Justify your choice.
- What insights or surprises do your visuals reveal? Are there dominant or rare categories?
- Who might benefit from this information? (e.g., landlords, renters, city planners).
- Look back at any questions you asked about this variable in Assignment 1, can you answer any of them now?
What to Include in Your Final Paper (Draft Version)
This work will become a key section of your final project: Visual Summary of a Categorical Variable. In the draft you are building for your paper, make sure to include:
- A brief description of the variable you investigated and why it’s relevant
- Your frequency table embedded or described in paragraph form
- Visual charts (labeled and titled)
- Your observations and written interpretation
- Your reflection on why one graph communicates better than the other
You’ll return to this later to revise and possibly compare between the two cities.
💡 Helpful Tips
- Clean your categories: Check the data for consistency. Example: group “Street Parking” and “Roadside Parking” under one label.
- Pie charts are best with fewer categories and when you want to show part–whole relationships.
- Bar graphs are better when categories are numerous or differences are large and easy to compare side-by-side.
- Label everything: chart titles, axis labels, data labels (if helpful), and colors if possible
Submission Instructions
- Upload your Excel file or slide with:
- Frequency table
- Bar graph and pie chart
- Written explanation in a Text Box or Notes section
- File format:
LastName_QualitativeGraph.xlsx - Submit to the “Project Assignments” folder in our LMS
- Also upload your current draft of the project write-up including any updates to parts 1 and 2 as well as the figures from part 3.