What is the method of organizing numerical data into "stem" and "leaf" digits called?

The method of organizing numerical data into "stem" and "leaf" digits is known as a stem-and-leaf plot. In this graphical representation, the "stem" represents the leading digit or digits of the numbers, while the "leaf" represents the trailing digit. This format allows for a quick visualization of the data distribution and helps in determining the shape of the data set, as well as identifying median, mode, and other statistical measures.

For example, if the numbers in your data set include 23, 24, 26, and 30, you could represent these in a stem-and-leaf plot where 2 is the stem for the numbers in the twenties, and 3 is the stem for the number in the thirties. The leaves would then be 3, 4, 6 for the twenties and 0 for the thirties.

This plotting method is particularly useful for smaller data sets and provides a way to retain the original data while still allowing for visual analysis.