A stem-and-leaf display is a tool used in data visualization to organize and represent quantitative data. It allows for a quick overview of the data distribution, revealing clusters, gaps, and outliers. For example, the data set 12, 15, 21, 21, 24, 29, 31, 35 could be represented with a stem of the tens place and leaves of the units place. The “2” stem would have leaves of 1, 1, 4, and 9. Software tools and online resources provide automated generation of these displays, simplifying the process for larger data sets.
This method offers several advantages over other visualization techniques. It retains the original data values while offering a visual representation similar to a histogram. This characteristic makes it particularly useful in educational settings and in exploratory data analysis where understanding the specific data points is essential. The technique originated in the early 20th century with statistician Arthur Bowley, finding applications in fields requiring rapid data assessment.