MS-DS Master of Data science Data Visualization and Communication 3

Question 1

Pre-attentive attributes are visual properties processed by the human visual system before conscious attention. Which of the following is NOT a pre-attentive attribute?

Accepted Answer

3D perspective depth cues

Answer

3D perspective requires cognitive processing to interpret; hue, length, and orientation are detected in parallel by low-level vision.

Question 2

What is the main advantage of a slope chart over a grouped bar chart when showing change between two time periods?

Accepted Answer

It directly encodes the direction and magnitude of change through line slope

Answer

Slope charts use the angle and direction of a line to communicate change intuitively, whereas bar charts require the viewer to subtract bar heights mentally.

Question 3

A choropleth map colors US states by average income. What is a known bias introduced by this approach?

Accepted Answer

Large low-population states dominate visual attention disproportionately

Answer

Geographic area ≠ population or importance, so sparsely populated states like Montana dominate the map visually while dense states like Rhode Island are barely visible.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the principle of 'small multiples' in data visualization?

Accepted Answer

Repeating the same chart structure across subsets of data for easy comparison

Answer

Small multiples (trellis/facet charts) replicate a chart layout across partitions of the data, leveraging consistent axes so the viewer can compare patterns across subgroups.

Question 5

When designing a visualization for a colorblind audience, which color pair should be avoided most carefully?

Accepted Answer

Red and green

Answer

Red-green color blindness (deuteranopia/protanopia) is the most common form, affecting ~8% of males, making red/green distinction impossible.

MS-DS Master of Data science Practice Test

MS-DS Master of Data science Practice Test

MS-DS Master of Data science Data Visualization and Communication 3