How is a box plot constructed?

A box plot, also known as a whisker plot, is constructed by displaying the minimum, lower quartile, median, upper quartile, and maximum values of a data set. This method of visualization helps to summarize the distribution and identify the spread and any potential outliers in the data.

The box itself represents the interquartile range, which is the middle 50% of the data. The line within the box indicates the median value, providing a clear visual cue of the center of the data distribution. The "whiskers" extend from the edges of the box to the smallest and largest values within a specified range, providing a complete overview of the data set's range.

The other options do not capture the full characteristics of a box plot. For instance, displaying only the median would disregard the important information about the spread and quartiles. Showing the mean and mode does not relate to the box plot's structure, as box plots focus on quartiles rather than these measures of central tendency. Lastly, listing all individual data points is not the method used in a box plot, as it is designed to condense information into a summary format that emphasizes distribution characteristics rather than individual observations.