(a) The following dotplot was constructed using the data on total number of background checks performed.

A dotplot has 50 dots above a horizontal axis labeled "Number of background checks" that ranges from 0 to 2,500,000 in increments of 500,000. The dots appear at the following positions. 0 has 2 dots, 50,000 has 5 dots, 100,000 has 7 dots, 150,000 has 5 dots, 200,000 has 3 dots, 250,000 has 4 dots, 300,000 has 3 dots, 350,000 has 3 dots, and 400,000 has 3 dots. 500,000 has 4 dots, 550,000 has 1 dot, 600,000 has 2 dots, 650,000 has 1 dots, and 900,000 has 1 dot. 1,050,000 has 1 dot, 1,200,000 has 1 dot, 1,350,000 has 1 dot, and 1,450,000 has 2 dots. 2,500,000 has 1 dot. Comment on the interesting features of this dotplot. Which states stand out as being unusual in terms of total number of background checks performed? The shape of the dotplot is ---Select--- , with states standing out as being unusual. (b) Some states are much larger than others in terms of population (for example, California, Texas, Florida, and New York). You may expect the total number of background checks performed to be related to population size, so it might be more informative to compare states based on number of background checks per 1,000 residents. Construct a dot plot using the given data on number of background checks per 1,000 residents.

A dotplot has about 50 dots above a horizontal axis labeled "Background Checks (per 1,000 residents)" that ranges from 0 to 575 in increments of 25. All but 2 of the stacks of dots are between about 10 and about 130. In this interval, most stacks have either 1 or 2 dots with a stack of 3 dots located at about 120. There is stack of 1 at about 510 and a stack of 1 at about 565. A dotplot has about 50 dots above a horizontal axis labeled "Background Checks (per 1,000 residents)" that ranges from 0 to 575 in increments of 25. All but 3 of the stacks of dots are between about 25 and about 155. In this interval, most stacks have either 1 or 2 dots with a stack of 3 dots located at about 120. There is a stack of 1 at about 310, a stack of 1 at about 330, and a stack of 1 at about 565. A dotplot has about 50 dots above a horizontal axis labeled "Background Checks (per 1,000 residents)" that ranges from 0 to 575 in increments of 25. All but 1 of the stacks of dots are between about 10 and about 130. In this interval, most stacks have either 1 or 2 dots with a stack of 3 dots located at about 120. There is a stack of 1 at about 565. A dotplot has about 50 dots above a horizontal axis labeled "Background Checks (per 1,000 residents)" that ranges from 0 to 575 in increments of 25. All but 1 of the stacks of dots are between about 25 and about 155. In this interval, most stacks have either 1 or 2 dots with a stack of 3 dots located at about 120. There is a stack of 1 at about 565. (c) Comment on the differences between the dotplot you constructed in part (b) and the one given earlier in this exercise. The dotplot in part (b) shows unusual observation(s) compared with unusual values in the dotplot from part (a). What does this tell you about how states differ? This indicates that, when one takes population size into consideration, ---Select--- states are comparable in terms of background checks.