Greetings, fair reader. In the past, I've written several articles with practical tips related to Minitab graphs, such as how to discuss the sensitive issue of p-charts and Laney P' charts with your doctor; how to use a g-chart to monitor parenting success; and how to use a scatter plot to start your own doomsday cult.

In this column, I thought I’d take a step back and explore the historical side of Minitab’s graphs. Specifically, we’ll explore the history behind the dodo bird of the graph kingdom: the stem-and-leaf plot.

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