Look at the numbers used on the vertical axis. What would happen to the bars on the graph if these numbers were changed to 100, 150, 200, and 300?

To properly answer this question, we need to understand the context of the bars and what they represent. However, let's discuss the general impact of changing the scale on the vertical axis (y-axis) of a bar graph. The vertical axis typically represents the quantity or magnitude of the data being measured.

If the numbers on the vertical axis are changed to 100, 150, 200, and 300, there are a couple of possibilities depending on what change is being made:

1. If the original scale was smaller (e.g., 10, 15, 20, 30), increasing the scale to 100, 150, 200, 300 would mean that each unit on the y-axis now represents a larger quantity. Thus, the bars representing the data would appear shorter because each increment on the axis covers more value. Essentially, you are "zooming out" on the data, which could make small differences between data points look smaller.

2. If the original scale was larger (e.g., 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000) and is being decreased to 100, 150, 200, 300, each unit on the y-axis would now represent a smaller quantity. The bars would appear taller, as each increment on the axis covers less value. In this scenario, you are "zooming in" on the data, which could make small differences look more significant.

3. If only the numbers/labels are being changed without adjusting the scale proportionately, it would lead to misinterpretation of data. It is essential that the scale on the axis accurately reflects the values of the data points the bars represent.

Regardless of how the scale is changed, the actual values represented by the bars do not change; only their graphical representation does. Changing the scale can make it easier or harder to detect differences between the bars, potentially affecting how the data is interpreted visually.