Which of the following best describes the use of a pie chart in data visualization?

A pie chart is specifically designed to illustrate proportions of a whole, making it an effective tool for visualizing how different segments contribute to a total. Each slice of the pie represents a category's share of the overall data set, enabling viewers to quickly discern the relative size of each part compared to the whole. This representation is especially useful when the goal is to emphasize the composition of a dataset, such as market share among companies, budget allocations, or demographic distributions.

Other options may not accurately reflect the primary purpose of a pie chart. For instance, comparing trends over time is better suited to line charts, as they effectively show changes and patterns over different time periods. Additionally, showing distributions of continuous data typically utilizes histograms or scatter plots rather than pie charts, which do not convey information about the data's variability or distribution. Lastly, displaying data relationships is more appropriately handled by scatter plots or other chart types designed to show correlations, while pie charts focus solely on part-to-whole relationships.