STATISTICS COUR 3
How do we construct frequency distributions and represent
quantitative data?
Describing data: quantitative data:
We know that quantitative data may be discrete or continuous.
5.1 Discrete data case:
Discrete data is a term that refers to numerically based data. It includes fixed, infinite values
that cannot split up.
There are several ways of representing discrete data. some methods of representing discrete
data include:
Bar charts:
A bar chart is one of the simplest ways of representing discrete data
Pie chart:
pie charts are a circular way of representing discrete data sets and are mostly used to convey
percentages. this is because each pie chart totals 100%.
Sales
8.2
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
Since there are 360 in a circle, the frequency for each class must be converted into a proportional part of
𝒇
the circle: Degrees = ∗ 𝟑𝟔𝟎
𝒏
5.2 Continuous data case:
remember, our goal is to construct tables, and graphs.
let us say there are 30 women somewhere, whose age group are as follows:
55,35,29,35,24,77,65,45,26,29,35,66,57,59,33,31,64,28,83,55,25,69,46,38,48,61,37,55,24,64
Data available in such a form is called raw data.
and entry each i.e 55,35, is the value or observation.
Suppose we want to analyze the women who are above 35 years, the data presented in the above form
does not provide sufficient information, such as the highest or Lowest age.
So let us arrange this data in increasing order.
24,24,25,26,28,29,29,31,33,35,35,35,37,38,45,46,48,55,55,55,57,59,61,63,64,64,65,66,69,77
Now what do we call this type of data?
Well, data given in this form is called arrayed data, an array is nothing but an arrangement of numerical
observations in the order of magnitude, plus, the difference between the largest and smallest number is
the range
R = Highest Value – Lowest value = H – L
When the number of observations is large, it becomes boring and time-consuming, further, for easy
understandability of the data, we will present it in tabular form i.e, frequency distributions table for
ungrouped data
AGE Frequency
24 2
25 1
26 1
28 1
29 2
31 1
33 1
35 3
37 1
38 1
45 1
46 1
48 1
55 3
57 1
59 1
61 1
The question we ask now, is the data in the form of raw data or in an ungrouped data well organized, or
are we looking for a better distribution for it? (we also call this table discrete frequency distribution)
For to make it easy, and deal with a large number of data, we group it into classes, such as the following
table.
So, when the data are arranged in classes, it is called grouped data or a continuous frequency
distribution.
Class interval Frequency
1-10 2
11-20 3
21-30 3
31-40 5
41-50 3
51-60 2
61-70 5
71-80 1
81-90 1
91-100 3
To prepare a continuous frequency distribution, follow these five steps:
Step 1: Decide the number of classes, may be estimated by formula Sturges method:
𝑘 = 1 + 1.32 ∗ 𝐿𝑛(𝑛)
Step 2: Determine the range of the data set.
Step 3: Determine the class interval or class width.
Generally the class interval or class width is the same for all classes, the classes all taken together must
cover at least the distance from the lowest value in the data up to the highest value, expressing these
words in a formula:
𝑯−𝑳
𝒊≥
𝒌
Where i, is the class interval
Step 4: Create Class intervals(Limits) using class width.
Step 5: Find the numerical frequencies.
Class midpoint, which is obtained by adding the lower and upper boundaries and dividing by 2, as:
Class midpoint = (Lower boundary + Upper boundary)/ 2
5.3- To Construct graphs
There are three charts that will help to draw a continuous frequency distribution: the histogram, the
frequency polygon (or curve), and the cumulative frequency polygon, is that a curve is a smooth line, a
polygon, is a line that is made up of straight lines that are connected at their endpoints.
Types of graphs/charts:
Chart Title Bar charts
Axis Title
Axis Title
Axis Title Axis Title
Scatter plats Pie charts Surface response charts
1.2
Axis Title
Axis Title
1.4
3.2 8.2
Axis Title Axis Title
Pictograph Cubic Graph
Graphical representation
Ungrouped data Grouped data
frequency
Line graph bar graph Histogram polygon
Pictograph pie chart
frequency curve cummulative
frequency curve
Histogram: a graph in which the classes are marked on the horizontal axis and the class frequencies
on the vertical axis.
Bars, and the bars are drawn adjacent to each other
Frequency polygon, also shows the shape of a distribution and is similar to a histogram, it consists
of line segments connecting the points formed by the intersections of the class midpoints and the class
frequencies.
Cumulative frequency polygon (Ogive), as the names imply, a cumulative frequency
distribution and a cumulative frequency polygon require cumulative frequencies.
Taking upper class limits on the x-axis and their respective frequencies on y-axis we can draw its ogive as
follows:
Distribution shapes: Distribution can have many shapes, and the most important are:
Left Skewed
