Definition
Carroll diagram
A four-cell table that sorts each item by two yes-or-no properties.
| Property | Striped | Not striped |
|---|---|---|
| 4 sides | Square | Rectangle |
| Not 4 sides | Triangle | Circle |
What it means
Ask two yes-or-no questions. First: does the shape have 4 sides? Second: is it striped? A striped square answers yes to both, so it goes in the “4 sides” and “striped” cell. Each item has only one home.
Remember it
Two yes-or-no questions make four homes.
Example
Sort four shapes by “has 4 sides” and “is striped”. A striped square goes yes/yes; a plain rectangle goes yes/no; a striped triangle goes no/yes; and a plain circle goes no/no.
Watch for
It is not a Venn diagram: the rules are written as row and column yes-or-no labels instead of overlapping regions.
Common mix-up
Read both headers for a cell; every item belongs in exactly one cell.
Exact meaning
A Carroll diagram classifies items by two stated properties, each split into “has” and “does not have”. The four cells represent all yes-or-no combinations, so every item in the chosen universe belongs in exactly one cell.