Frequency Distribution
A tabular arrangement of raw data by a certain number of classes and the
number of items (called frequency) belonging to each class is termed as a
frequency distribution or A grouping of data into categories showing the number
of observations in each mutually exclusive category.
Example; Income of person, Numbers in different groups, runs per over, weaves
per meter etc.
The frequency distributions are of two types, namely, discrete frequency
distribution and continuous frequency distribution.
Discrete Frequency Distribution
Raw data sometimes may contain a limited number of values and each of them
appeared many numbers of times. Such data may be organized in a tabular form
termed as a simple frequency distribution. Thus the tabular arrangement of the
data values along with the frequencies is a simple frequency distribution. A simple
frequency distribution is formed using a tool called ‘tally chart’. A tally chart is
constructed using the following method:
Examine each data value.
Record the occurrence of the value with the slash symbol (/), called tally bar
or tally mark.
If the tally marks are more than four, put a crossbar on the four tally bar and
make this as block of 5 tally bars (////)
Find the frequency of the data value as the total number of tally bars i.e., tally
marks corresponding to that value.
Example (ungrouped data)
The marks obtained by 25 students in a test are given as follows: 10, 20, 20, 30,
40, 25, 25, 30, 40, 20, 25, 25, 50, 15, 25, 30, 40, 50, 40, 50, 30, 25, 25, 15 and 40.
The following discrete frequency distribution represents the given data:
Continuous Frequency Distribution:
It is necessary to summarize and present large masses of data so that important
facts from the data could be extracted for effective decisions. A large mass of data
that is summarized in such a way that the data values are distributed into groups,
or classes, or categories along with the frequencies is known as a continuous or
grouped frequency distribution.
Steps of Constructing Frequency Distribution
The following steps can be taken to construct a frequency distribution table:
1. Finding Total observations : Firstly, we have to find the Total
observations.
2. Finding Highest and Lowest Values: Find the highest and the lowest value of
the data set.
3. Finding Range : Range = Highest value - Lowest Value .
4. Finding Number of Classes: Find the number of classes by using
k = 1 + 3.322 log N.
Where, N=Total observations
5 .Finding Class Interval: Find the class interval by using
Highest Value −Lowest Value Range
1+3 .322log N = k
=
Write a table with heading Class interval, Tally marks and Frequency.
6.
7. Start the class with lowest value up to reach highest value and every class has
equal interval .
8. Count the value with Tally Marks (////) and write respective classes.
9. Find the frequencies for each class by counting the number of tallies of each
class.
10. Find total frequency and write bottom of the third column.
Example 1: Monthly income (in thousand taka) of 30 families given below (Group
data):
20 22 35 42 37 42 48 53 49 65
39 48 67 18 12 23 37 35 49 63
65 55 45 58 57 69 25 29 58 65
Construct a frequency distribution table.
Solution:
1. Finding Total observations: Firstly, Find the Total observations (N=30)
2. Finding Highest and Lowest Values: Find the highest (H) =69 and the lowest
value (L) =12 of the data set.
3. Finding Range : Range = Highest value - Lowest Value =69-12 =57 .
4. Finding Number of Classes: Find the number of classes by using
k = 1 + 3.322 log N.
K=1+3-322log30
K=1+3.3
22x1.477
K=1+4.90
6=5.906
K=5.906≈
6
5 .Finding Class Interval: Find the class interval by using
Highest Value −Lowest Value Range 57
1+3 .322log N = k = 6 =9.5 ≈10
=
6. Write a table with heading Class interval, Tally marks and Frequency.
Frequency distribution table
Class Interval Tally marks Frequency
12-22 //// 4
22-32 /// 3
32-42 //// // 7
42-52 //// 5
52-62 //// 5
62-72 //// / 6
Total N=30
7. Start the class interval with lowest value up to reach highest value and every
class has equal interval and which is 10.
8. Count the value with Tally Marks (////) and write respective classes.
9. Find the frequencies for each class by counting the number of tallies of each
class.
10. Find total frequency and write bottom of the third column.
Example 2: In a class examination, the marks obtained by 30 students are given
below:
32 33 55 47 21 50 27 26 24 33
62 42 38 15 45 32 44 48 68 49
40 52 30 17 44 58 48 39 42 37
Make out a frequency distribution from the above data taking appropriate
class interval.
Solution:
1. Finding Total observations: Firstly, Find the Total observations (N=30)
2. Finding Highest and Lowest Values: Find the highest (H) =68 and the lowest
value (L) =15 of the data set.
3. Finding Range : Range = Highest value - Lowest Value =68-15 =53 .
4. Finding Number of Classes: Find the number of classes by using
k = 1 + 3.322 log N.
K=1+3-322log30
K=1+3.32
2x1.477
K=1+4.90
6=5.906
K=5.906≈
6
5 .Finding Class Interval: Find the class interval by using
Highest Value −Lowest Value Range 53
1+3 .322log N = k = 6 =8.83 ≈9
=
Write a table with heading Class interval, Tally marks and Frequency.
6.
Frequency distribution Table
Class Interval Tally marks Frequency
15-24 //// 4
25-34 //// // 7
35-44 //// /// 8
45-54 //// // 7
55-64 /// 3
65-74 / 1
Total N=30
7. Start the class interval with lowest value up to reach highest value and every
class has equal interval and which is 10.
8. Count the value with Tally Marks (////) and write respective classes.
9. Find the frequencies for each class by counting the number of tallies of each
class.
10. Find total frequency and write bottom of the third column.
Problem: The earning of 39 firms for the year 2015--2016 are given below (in lakh
taka):
3 42 30 54 4 48 15 17 5 42 35 41 30
0 0 1
2 42 36 28 2 37 54 44 3 36 40 36 22
7 6 1
3 31 19 48 1 42 32 21 2 40 33 41 21
0 6 2
i) Construct a frequency distribution table from above information. or
ii) Construct a frequency distribution table taking a suitable class-interval.
or
iii) Construct a frequency distribution table taking continuous class-
interval. or
iv) Construct a frequency distribution table taking class interval is 5 or 10 or
14.or
v) Construct a frequency distribution table start with class interval 15-
25.or
vi) Construct a frequency distribution with an example (raw data).
Example: In a class examination, the marks obtained by 30 students are given
below:
32 33 55 47 21 50 27 26 24 33
62 42 38 15 45 32 44 48 68 49
40 52 30 17 44 58 48 39 42 37
Make out a frequency distribution from the above data taking continuous class
intervals ( appropriate) class interval.
Frequency distribution table
Class Interval Tally marks Frequency
15-24 //// 4
25-34 35-44 //// // 7
45-54 //// /// 8
55-64 //// // 7
65-74 /// 3
/ 1
Total N=30
15-24
Class Interval:
Class Class boundary
Interval
15-24 14.5-24.5
25-34 24.5-34.5
35-44 34.5-44.5
45-54 44.5-54.5
55-64 54.5-64.5
65-74 64.5-74.5
Class interval two types i) Discrete class interval: 0-4,5-9,10-14……..
ii) Continuous class interval: 0-5,5-10,10-15……..
Class boundary:
Lower class boundary =lower class limit -1/2(.5)=15-.5=14.5
Upper class boundary =upper class limit+1/2(.5)=24+.5=24.5
Another two types class interval: i) Close class interval: 0-4,5-9,10-14,15-19
ii) Open class interval: 0-4,5-9,10-14,15-19,
20+
Mid value:
Mid value=(upper class limit +lower class limit )/2
For example , 15-24 ,mid value =(15+24)/2=19.5.
Some times mid value is called midpoint or average point.
Class Interval Mid value (xi) Frequency
15-24 19.5 15+24/2 4
25-34 29.5 7
35-44 39.5 8
45-54 49.5 7
55-64 59.5 3
65-74 69.5 1
Total N=30
Frequency:
Class Frequency(fi)
Interval
15-24 4(class
25-34 frequency)
35-44 7
45-54 8
55-64 7
65-74 3
1
Total N=30(Total
frequency)
Cumulative frequency (Cf):
Cumulative frequency Two types :i) Less than Cumulative frequency
ii) More than Cumulative frequency
Class Interval Frequency(fi) Cumulative
Frequency(cf)
Less More than
than
15-24 4 4 30(26+4)
25-34 7 11(4+7) 26(19+7)
35-44 8 19(11+8) 19(11+8)
45-54 7 26(19+7) 11(4+7)
55-64 3 29(26+3) 4(1+3)
65-74 1 30(29+1) 1
Total
Class frequcncy
Relative frequency (Rf): Total frequency x100
Class Interval Frequency(fi) Relative
frequency(Rf)
15-24 4 4
13.33% ( ×100 ¿30
25-34 7 23.33% (
7
×100 ¿
30
35-44 8
45-54 7 26.66% (
8
×100 ¿
55-64 3 30
65-74 1 23.33% (
7
×100 ¿
30
3
10% ( 30 ×100 ¿
3.33% (
4
×100 ¿
30
Total N=30
Class Interval Mid value Frequency Cumulative Relative
(xi) frequency(Cf) frequency( Rf)
Less than More
than
15-24 19.5 4 4 30 13.33%
25-34 29.5 7 11 26 23.33%
35-44 39.5 8 19 19 26.66%
45-54 49.5 7 26 11 23.33%
55-64 59.5 3 29 4 10.0%
65-74 69.5 1 30 1 3.33%
Total N=30
Frequency Density =Frequency of a certain class/class interval
Cumulative relative frequency = class cumulative frequency /total
frequency
Questions:
1) What is frequency distribution? Write the different types of frequency
distribution.
2) Define the following terms :i) class interval ii) mid value iii) class boundary
iv) Frequency v) cumulative frequency and its types vi) relative frequency
Problem:
The earning of 39 firms for the year 2015--2016 are given below (in lakh taka):
3 42 30 54 4 48 15 17 5 42 35 41 30
0 0 1
2 42 36 28 2 37 54 44 3 36 40 36 22
7 6 1
3 31 19 48 1 42 32 21 2 40 33 41 21
0 6 2
i) Construct a frequency distribution table taking continuous class-interval.
ii) Also find cumulative frequency and relative frequency.
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