This bar chart depicts the development in profits in trade from the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2005. For every year, it shows the percentage by which the profits changed in the first, second, third and fourth quarters of the year, in each case in comparison to the same quarter of the previous year.
Development of Profits in Trade (respectively: change in comparison to the same quarter of the previous year)
Which of the following statements is / are correct?
I. In the first quarter of 2003, the profits were more than two percent less than those in the first quarter of 2002.
II. In the fourth quarter of 2004, the profits were the same as those in the fourth quarter of 2003.
(A) Only statement I is correct.
(A) Only statement I is correct. incorrect
(B) Only statement II is correct.
(B) Only statement II is correct. incorrect
(C) Both statements are correct.
(C) Both statements are correct. correct
(D) Neither of the two statements is correct.
(D) Neither of the two statements is correct. incorrect
Degree of difficulty: high
Solution
To decide whether the statements are correct or not, it is necessary to read the caption of the vertical axis carefully
and interpret it correctly. The bar chart does not show absolute numbers, but rather changes in comparison to the
same quarter of the previous year (in percent). The first bar (I/2000) thus shows that the profits in the first quarter
of 2000 was 1.5 percent greater than in the first quarter of 1999. We do not know how high the profits in I/2000 were;
that information cannot be derived from the chart. What that means is that the bars cannot be compared with one
another.
Statement I is correct. We can determine this immediately on the basis of the length of the bar: In I/2003
the profits were more than two percent less than in I/2002.
Statement II is likewise correct. There is no bar visible for IV/2004. That means there was neither a positive
nor a negative change. The profits in IV/2004 were therefore exactly as high as in IV/2003.
Therefore (C) is the right answer.