Question 179335
Stemplots are useful for displaying the relative density and shape of the data, giving the reader a quick overview of distribution. They retain most of the raw numerical data, in some cases with perfect integrity. They are also useful for highlighting outliers and finding the mode. However, stemplots are only useful for moderately sized data sets (around 15-150 data points). With very small data sets a stemplot can be of little use, as a reasonable number of data points are required to establish definitive distribution properties. A dot plot may be better suited for such data. With very large data sets, a stemplot will become very cluttered, since each data point must be represented numerically. A box plot or histogram may become more appropriate as the data size increases.

The ease with which histograms can now be generated on computers has meant that stemplots are less used today than in the 1980s, when they first became widely utilized as a quick method of displaying information graphically