Sec 2.

3
Frequency Related
and
Distributions Graphs

Why ?
What ?
෍ 𝑓𝑖 = 𝑛 Can show patterns
Table shows
in the data
intervals and
the number
of data
points in
each “class”. ෍ 𝑓𝑖 = 𝑛
 Construction of Step 1: Step 2:
a frequency Find the Determine
range
distribution the number
of classes
Step 7:
Record the
frequencies
Step 3:
Determine
class width
Step 6: Step 5:
Determine Step 4:
Calculate lower
the upper Choose the
values for
values lower value for
remaining classes
the first class
 Frequency Distribution Example

Example 1:
The table gives the weights (kg) of
50 parts made in a factory.

Step 1: Range = max – min

= 88 – 7 = 81
Step 2: Determine the number of classes k

Sturge’s Rule: k = rounded up value of {1 + 1.44 ln(n) }

= 1 + 1.44 ln(50)
= 6.63….
=7 Always round up.

Step 3: Determine the class width, 𝑐 .

Always
𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 81 round
𝑐= 𝑐=
7
= 11.57 ≈ 12 up.
𝑘
Step 4:
7 is the smallest value so let the
lower value of 1st class be 6

6 + 12 = 18

Step 5: + 12
Find the lower class limits. + 12
+ 12
Add c = 12 to each lower
value of the remaining + 12
classes. + 12
Step 6: Determine the upper class limits:

One unit less than the lower

limit of the following class.

Step 7: Determine the frequencies for each

class (tally).
 Frequency Distribution

Use this formula to

tally the data:

= 𝐹𝑅𝐸𝑄𝑈𝐸𝑁𝐶𝑌 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎_𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑦 ; 𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑠_𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑦

The upper class limits.

The set of values that

you want to tally.
 Step 1:
Enter data

Step 3:
Rows 11 Step 2: Insert a
to 48 are Find classes column for
hidden (Sturge’s rule) upper limits
 Step 4:
Select ALL the cells in which you want
the frequencies to appear.
E2:E8

Step 5:
Type in
= FREQUENCY( A2:A51 ; D2:D8 )

data_array
bins_array

Step 6:
Do not press ENTER
Press: CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER
 Selecting Classes

Some classes Sturge’s rule

form naturally
Example: Convenient
Class marks when no
0–9 natural
10 – 19 classes are
20 – 29 present.
…
90 - 100
 Rules Classes should not be
too large or too small

Might not see

a pattern
Each data point
must be in (only)
one class
Where will
18 go?
The classes
must not lead And 29.3?
to ambiguity
 Class limits vs Boundaries

Values can Data values

equal both cannot
lower and equal both
upper limit upper and
lower
values.
If a value lies on a boundary
(like 57.5) then put it into the
larger class.

There is a There is no
“gap” between “gap” between
classes. classes.
 These things can
A number of things can be calculated
help visually
from the frequency distribution.
display the data.

Class Midpoints:
The middle value of a class interval.

𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡 + 𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡

2
𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦 + 𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦
2
Cumulative Frequencies:
The number of values in the sample that are less than or equal to
the upper class boundary of that class.

Relative Frequency:
𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠
The frequency of a class
relative to the sample size. 𝑛

Relative Frequency Percentage:

The percentage of frequencies 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 × 100%
that fall into a class.
 Frequency Distribution Example

Example 2

Consider this data that shows the

low temperatures (in degrees
Fahrenheit to the nearest degree) for
50 days.

𝑛 = 50
Step 1: range = max – min = 64 – 39 = 25

Step 2: Determine the number of classes k

Sturge’s Rule: k = rounded up value of {1 + 1.44 ln(n) }
= 1 + 1.44 ln(50)
= 6.63….
=7 Always round up.

Step 3: Determine the class width, 𝑐 .

Always
25 round
𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒
𝑐= 𝑐= = 3.57 ≈ 4 up.
𝑘 7
Step 4: 39 is the smallest value so let the lower value of 1st class be 38

38 + 4 = 42

Step 5: Determine the lower class limits.

Add c = 4 to each lower value

of the remaining classes
Step 6: Determine the upper class limits

One unit less than lower

limit of following class.

Step 7:
Determine the frequencies for each class
using Excel.
Midpoints In cell D3 type:
= (𝟑𝟖 + 𝟒𝟏) / 𝟐
Press Enter

In cell D4 type:
= 𝑫𝟑 + 𝟒
Press Enter

Place the curser over the

corner of cell D4 till it
changes to “ ”

Fill the remaining cells by

holding down and dragging
Relative Frequency 𝑓𝑖
= = 𝐶3 / 50
𝑛
= 𝐸3 ∗ 100

= 𝐶4 / 50

Place the curser over the

corner of cell E4 till it
changes to “ ”

Fill the remaining cells by

holding down and dragging
Histogram Bar Chart
𝑥−𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 : Class boundaries

𝑦−𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 : Frequency

Must
remove the
gaps from
between the
bars
 Histogram Adjusting the Bar Chart

Double click on any one of the bars to bring up ‘Format Data Series’

Change the
Gap Width to
0%

Under Border,
select Solid line.

Change colour Notice:

to black. 1) No gaps
2) Has borders around the bars.
Frequency polygon Line Chart

𝑥−𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 : Class midpoints

𝑦−𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 : Frequency

Graph is “floating”. Must anchor/peg it.

 Add a “class” to There are no
the beginning points in these
+4 and end. classes so 𝑓𝑖 = 0

+4

Now the graph does not “float”.

 Ogive Line Chart 𝑥−𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 : Class boundaries
𝑦−𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 : Cumulative frequency
Draw using a
scatter plot.

Add a “class” to
the beginning.

There are no points

smaller than 37,5 so
cumulative frequency = 0
 STEP 5: STEP 6:
STEPS 1, 2 & 3:
Choose Scatter with Choose this option.
Do as normal
smooth lines.

STEP 4:
From ‘All
Charts’ select
‘XY (Scatter)’
 Ogive
60

50

Cumulative frequency
40

30

20

10
Note:
The graph 0
does not 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
“float”. Temperature
 These graphs show:
• Clustering patterns of the data
• How the data is distributed

Bell- shape
Data sets often show Rectangular / uniform
common patterns…
Bimodal

Positively skewed

Negatively skewed
 Most values occur
Bell-shaped
at the middle
data
section.

Examples:
• Heights of men
• Marks for a fairly set Fewer and fewer values in
test either direction.
 Also called “uniformly shaped”
Rectangular

All the values in the

0.12 data set occur
0.1
approximately the same
0.08
number of times.
frequency

0.06

0.04

Example
0.02
Frequencies of winning
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 numbers in a large number of
x
Lotto draws.
 2 distinct subgroups with
Bimodal shape different values give 2
distinct peaks.

60

50
Example
40 Measuring the body lengths of ants
when there are adults and juveniles
frequency

30
together in the same data set.
20

10
Two peaks in the curve reflect the fact
0 that juvenile ants have shorter body
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Body length (m m ) lengths than adult ants
 Positively Skewed Most values
occur in the lower
end of the scale.

Also known as Fewer and

skewed to the right fewer towards
the upper end
of the scale

Example
• The marks for an hard test
• Time taken to get served
your food at McDonalds
 Most values occur in the
Negatively
upper end of the scale.
Skewed

Also known as
skewed to the left

Example
• The marks for an easy test
• Time taken to get served Fewer and fewer to the
your food at Mug ‘n Bean lower end of the scale.