What type of data visualization shows the relationship between variables?

A scatter plot is the ideal choice for showing the relationship between two variables. This type of visualization illustrates how one variable is affected by another, allowing observers to see correlations, trends, and potential outliers at a glance. Each point on the scatter plot represents an observation, with its position determined by the values of the two variables being compared.

The primary strength of scatter plots lies in their ability to display complex relationships visually, making it easier to discern patterns that might not be immediately apparent through other types of charts. They are particularly useful in regression analysis where understanding the degree of relationship and the spread of data points can help in modeling.

In contrast, bar charts depict categorical data and illustrate comparisons among categories, while box plots provide a summary of data variability along with median values, and line graphs primarily depict trends over time rather than the relationship between two independent variables. Thus, the scatter plot is uniquely designed for analyzing and visualizing relationships between variables.