Chapter 3 - Frequency Distribution
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AChapter 3 - Frequency Distribution
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AFREQUENCY
DISTRIBUTION
What is Frequency Distribution?
It is a collection of observations produced by sorting them into classes and
showing their frequency (or numbers) of occurrences in each class.
Basic types of Frequency Distribution
1. Categorical
2. Ungrouped
3. Grouped
Categorical Frequency Distribution
It is used for data that can be placed in specific categories, such as nominal, or
ordinal level data.
Ex. The following data give the results of a sample survey. The letters A, B, and
C represent the three categories.
A B A A C C A C C C
C B C B B C B B B C
B C C A C C C B C A
Construct a frequency distribution table for these data.
Solution:
Category Tally Frequency
A
B
C
Please do the counting…
GROUPED AND UNGROUPED DATA
• When observation are sorted into classes of single values, the
result is called a frequency distribution for ungrouped data.
• When observation are sorted into classes of more than one value,
the result is called a frequency distribution for grouped data.
Example:
Weekly Expenses of 80 Employees
Variable Weekly Expenses Number of Employees
100 – 104 5
2nd class 105 – 109 16 Frequency of
the second class
110 – 114 11
Lower limit 115 – 119 40
of the 4th
class 120 - 124 8
Upper limit of
the 4th class
The following are the basic terminologies
associated with frequency tables:
• Lower class limit – the smallest data value that can be included in the class
• Upper class limit - the largest data value that can be included in the class
• Class boundaries – are used to separate the classes so that there are no gaps in the
frequency distribution.
• Class marks – the midpoints of the classes
𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭 + 𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭
Xm =
𝟐
• Class width – the difference between two consecutive lower class limits
The following are the steps in constructing a
frequency table:
• Decide on the number of classes your frequency table will have. Usually, it is
between 5 and 20.
• Find the range (R). This is the difference between the highest and lowest scores.
R = HL - LL
• Find the class width (i). Divide the range by the number of classes. The class width
should be an odd number. This ensures that the midpoint of each class has same
place value as the data.
i = R/k
The following are the steps in constructing a
frequency table:
• Select a starting point, either the lowest score or the lower class limit. Add
the class width to the starting point to get the second lower class limit. Then
enter the upper class limit.
• Find the boundaries by subtracting 0.5 from each lower class limit and
adding 0.5 to the upper class limit.
• Represent each score by a tally.
• Count the total frequency for each class.
Example:
When 40 people were surveyed, they reported the distance they
drove to the mall, and the results (in kilometres) are given below.
2 8 1 5 9 5 14 10 31 20
15 4 10 6 5 5 1 8 12 10
25 40 31 24 20 20 3 9 15 15
25 8 1 1 16 23 18 25 21 12
Solution:
Step 1: The number of classes is 7. (k= 1+3.322logn)
Step 2: R = HL – LL = 40 – 1 = 39
𝑅 39
Step 3: i= = = 5.5 = 6
𝑘 7
Step 4: Determine the lower class limits.
Step 5: Determine the class boundaries.
Step 6: Tally the scores.
Solution:
Step 7: Make the frequency distribution table.
Class limits Class Class Mark Frequency Relative Cumulative
Boundaries Freq. Freq
1–6 0.5 – 6.5 3.5 12 0.3 12
7 – 12 6.5 – 12.5 9.5 10 0.24 22
13 – 18 12.5 – 18.5 15.5 6 0.15 28
19 – 24 18.5 – 24.5 21.5 6 0.15 34
25 – 30 24.5 – 30.5 27.5 3 0.075 37
31 – 36 30.5 – 36.5 33.5 2 0.05 39
37 - 42 36.5 – 42.5 39.5 1 0.025 40
Total 40
Types of graphs
• Histogram – this is a graph that displays the data by using vertical bars of
various heights to represents the frequencies.
To draw a histogram, first, mark the classes on the horizontal axis and
frequencies on the vertical axis. Next, draw a bar for each class so that its height
represents the frequency of that class. The bars drawn adjacent to each other.
Types of graphs
• Frequency Polygon – this graph displays the data by using lines that
connect points plotted for the frequencies at the midpoints of the classes.
To draw a frequency polygon, mark a dot above the midpoint of each class
at a height equal to the frequency of that class. Next, mark two more classes,
one at each end, and mark their midpoints. Note that these two classes have
zero frequencies. Lastly, join the consecutive dots with straight lines.
Types of graphs
• Ogive – this is graph that represents the cumulative frequencies of the
classes.
To draw an ogive, mark the class boundaries on the horizontal axis and the
cumulative frequencies on the vertical axis. Plot the cumulative frequencies at
each upper class boundary. Upper class boundaries are used since the
cumulative frequencies represent the number of observations accumulated up
to the upper boundary of each class.
Types of graphs
• Pareto graph – it is used to represent a frequency distribution for a
categorical or qualitative data, and the frequencies are displayed by the
heights of vertical bars.
• Pie graph – it is a circle that is divided into section of wedges according to
the percentage frequencies in each category of the distribution.
Exercises:
(Please attach your solution on our google classroom)
1.) Below are the high temperatures (in degree Fahrenheit) for the 30 days in
January.
80 68 84 86 85 77 64 81 93 94
97 93 89 82 76 75 83 90 83 84
92 94 90 92 91 84 81 84 79 80
a.) Construct a frequency distribution table for
each of the given data
b.) Draw a frequency polygon and ogive.
Exercises:
2.) The frequency distribution shows 50 freshmen, 65 sophomore, 40 juniors, &
35 seniors who are working as assistants in the different offices at the
University. Construct a pareto and pie graph.
