In which year total number of patients registered in hospital X and hospital Y…
2009
In which year total number of patients registered in hospital X and hospital Y was the maximum ?
Answer: C. 2005 — Concept: In a multi-series line graph each line reports one series on its own, and the vertical axis is read separately for every point. A question about the…
- A.
2003
- B.
2004
- C.
2005
- D.
2006
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept: In a multi-series line graph each line reports one series on its own, and the vertical axis is read separately for every point. A question about the combined size of two series at a point on the horizontal axis is therefore answered by reading both lines at that point and adding the two readings. The tallest single peak of one line never settles a combined-total question on its own, because the other line may be low exactly where the first line is high.
Application: Read hospital X and hospital Y off the graph at each year from 2001 to 2006 and add the two readings year by year.
Year | Hospital X | Hospital Y | Total (X + Y) |
|---|---|---|---|
2001 | 8,000 | 6,000 | 14,000 |
2002 | 10,000 | 4,000 | 14,000 |
2003 | 8,000 | 6,000 | 14,000 |
2004 | 4,000 | 6,000 | 10,000 |
2005 | 12,000 | 4,000 | 16,000 |
2006 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 6,000 |
Comparing the six totals — 14,000, 14,000, 14,000, 10,000, 16,000 and 6,000 — the largest is 16,000, which occurs in 2005. So the total number of patients registered in hospital X and hospital Y together was maximum in 2005.
Cross-check: The three years 2001, 2002 and 2003 tie at 14,000, which is 2,000 short of 16,000, while 2004 (10,000) and 2006 (6,000) are lower still, so no other year can overtake 2005. Note also that 2005 is a year in which hospital Y sits at its lowest level of 4,000; the combined maximum is carried entirely by hospital X reaching 12,000 there. This is exactly why the totals must be computed rather than judged from the shape of one line.