A data analyst needs to identify outliers from a given dataset. Which of the following visualizations is the best way to identify outliers?

A box plot (or box-and-whisker plot) is specifically designed to visually represent the distribution of numerical data and is excellent for identifying outliers. Outliers are typically depicted as individual points lying beyond the 'whiskers' of the plot, which extend to 1.5 times the interquartile range from the first and third quartiles.

A scatter plot shows the relationship between two variables and can visually indicate extreme points, but it is not as explicitly designed for or as clear in identifying statistical outliers for a single distribution as a box plot.

A Gantt chart is used for project management and scheduling, displaying tasks and timelines, and is unrelated to data distribution or outlier identification.

A waterfall chart illustrates how an initial value is increased or decreased by a series of intermediate positive or negative contributions, which is not useful for identifying outliers in a dataset.