The best display method for a stemplot is numerical discrete data. A stemplot, also known as a stem-and-leaf plot, is particularly useful for representing and analyzing small to moderate-sized sets of numerical data. It organizes numbers by separating the digits into "stems," which represent the leading digits, and "leaves," which represent the trailing digits.
This structure enables viewers to quickly see the distribution of values while retaining the original data points. Discrete data is numerical and consists of finite values, making it well-suited for stemplots as each individual value can be precisely represented. While continuous data could share some similarities, stemplots are especially advantageous when dealing with the distinct integers typical of discrete data sets, allowing for clear visualization of frequency and central tendencies.
Other types of data are less compatible with stemplots. Categorical data lacks a numerical value and cannot be effectively represented in this way, as there are no quantitative aspects to visualize. Ordinal data, while it has a ranking, doesn't have the distinct numerical value necessary for a stemplot where precise differences between values matter. Thus, the use of a stemplot is most effective and informative when applied to numerical discrete data.