Question

After the elections of \(2016,\) a poll was taken to study the approval ratings for past presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The poll, involving 1,009 U.S. adults 18 years or older living in the United States and the District of Columbia, gives approval ratings by gender, race, age, and party \(I D .\) $$\begin{array}{lcc}\hline \text { Category } & \text { George W. Bush } & \text { Barack Obama } \\ \hline \text { U.S. Adults } & 59 & 63 \\\\\text { Gender } & & \\\\\text { Men } & 56 & 60 \\\\\text { Women } & 60 & 66 \\\\\text { Race } & & \\\\\text { White } & 64 & 55 \\\\\text { Nonwhite } & 47 & 82 \\\\\text { Age } & & \\\18 \text { to } 34 & 42 & 75 \\\35 \text { to } 54 & 64 & 62 \\\55+ & 65 & 55 \\\\\text { Party ID } & & \\ \text { Republicans } & 82 & 22 \\\\\text { Independents } & 56 & 65 \\\\\text { Democrats } & 41 & 95 \\ \hline\end{array}$$ Draw a bar chart to describe the approval rating of George W. Bush based on party ID.

Short answer

Answer: The approval rating of George W. Bush among Independents is 56%.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the data points to be plotted

From the given table, we will select the approval ratings of George W. Bush based on party ID. The data points to be plotted are: - Republicans: 82 - Independents: 56 - Democrats: 41

Set up the horizontal and vertical axes

We need to set up the horizontal and vertical axes for the bar chart. The horizontal axis represents party ID and will have three categories: Republicans, Independents, and Democrats. The vertical axis represents the approval rating, ranging from 0 to 100, as it is a percentage.

Draw the bars for each party ID category

Now we will draw the bars for each party ID category. Each bar's height will represent the approval rating of George W. Bush for the corresponding party ID. - For Republicans, draw a bar with a height of 82. - For Independents, draw a bar with a height of 56. - For Democrats, draw a bar with a height of 41.

Label the axes and add a title

Finally, label the horizontal axis as "Party ID" and the vertical axis as "Approval Rating (%)." Add a title to the bar chart: "Approval Rating of George W. Bush Based on Party ID."

Key concepts

Bar Charts

Bar charts are a popular way to visually represent data. They allow you to easily compare values across different categories. A bar chart consists of rectangular bars, where each bar represents a category and its height corresponds to the value associated with that category. In our example, each bar represents the approval rating of George W. Bush for a specific political party.

Creating a bar chart involves setting up two axes:

• The horizontal axis, which represents the categories (party IDs in our example).
• The vertical axis, which represents the numerical values (approval ratings, ranging from 0 to 100).

Each bar is drawn accordingly to the data. Drawing the bars accurately helps in quickly assessing which categories have higher or lower values.

To enhance the readability of a bar chart, it's essential to label the axes appropriately, and sometimes adding different colors for each bar can make it more visually appealing and easier to interpret.

Approval Ratings

Approval ratings are a metric used to gauge public satisfaction with a political figure such as a president. They reflect how a segment of the population perceives the performance of the official. In this case, the approval ratings for George W. Bush and Barack Obama are given in percentage form for different demographics.

These ratings were collected through surveys, measuring the extent to which various groups approve or disapprove of the presidents' performances. For example, in our exercise, Republicans showed an approval rating of 82% for George W. Bush, whereas Democrats gave him a 41% rating. This stark contrast often reflects political biases and affiliations.

Understanding approval ratings can help in political analysis and decision-making, as they provide insight into public opinion trends and can influence future policies.

Statistical Analysis

Statistical analysis involves collecting, examining, and interpreting qualitative or quantitative data to discover patterns and trends. In our scenario, the approval ratings table presents a form of statistical data. By using statistical analysis, we can explore the approval ratings across various socio-demographic groups.

The analysis of this data involves calculating percentages, summarizing trends by demographic group, and comparing differences. For example, we can analyze the difference in approval for Bush and Obama across different ages, races, and parties.

This kind of analysis helps form interpretations about why certain groups might support or disapprove of a particular president more than others. It deepens our understanding of how political opinions differ and what factors may contribute to these differences.

Survey Data

Survey data is crucial for collecting information about a population's views and attitudes. It helps in understanding the preferences and opinions of different demographic segments through structured questions.

In our exercise, survey data was gathered from over 1,000 adults to determine the approval ratings for two former U.S. presidents. Surveys can be conducted through various means such as interviews, online questionnaires, or telephone interviews, each with its strengths and limitations.

When conducting surveys, it is important to ensure that the sample accurately represents the larger population to obtain reliable results. Properly collected survey data can provide actionable insights into public opinion, helping guide political strategies and decisions.