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Chapter 2
Describing Data: Frequency Tables, Frequency
Distributions, and Graphic Presentation

© McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
 Learning Objectives
LO 2.1: Summarize qualitative variables with
frequency and relative frequency tables.
LO 2.2: Display a frequency table using a bar or pie
chart.
LO 2.3: Summarize quantitative variables with
frequency and relative frequency
distributions.
LO 2.4: Display a frequency distribution using a
histogram or frequency polygon.

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 Constructing Frequency Tables 1

• Frequency Table: A grouping of qualitative data

into mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive
classes showing the number of observations in
each class.
• Mutually exclusive: Each observation in only one
class.
• Collectively exhaustive: There is a class for each
value.

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 Constructing Frequency Tables 2

1. Sort the data into classes.

2. Count the number in each class.
3. Report as the class frequency.
• Example: Car sales by location.

Location Number of Cars

Kane 52
Olean 40
Sheffield 45
Tionesta 43
Total 180

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 Constructing Frequency Tables 3

• Convert each frequency to a relative frequency.

• Shows the fraction of the total number observations in each class.
• Each of the class frequencies is divided by the total number of
observations.
• Captures the relationship between a class frequency and the total
number of observations.
• Example: Car sales by location.

Location Number of Cars Relative Frequency Found by

Kane 52 .289 52÷180
Olean 40 .222 40÷180
Sheffield 45 .250 45÷180
Tionesta 43 .239 43÷180
Total 180 1.000

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 Graphic Presentation of Qualitative Data 1

• Bar Chart: A graph that shows the qualitative classes

on the horizontal axis and the class frequencies on
the vertical axis.
• The most common graphic to present a qualitative
variable.
• Describes a frequency table using a series of
uniformly wide rectangles.
• The class frequencies are proportional to the heights
of the bars.
• The height of each rectangle is the class frequency.
• Mode: The class with the highest frequency.
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 Graphic Presentation of Qualitative Data 2

• For a nominal variable, the order of the classes does not matter.
• You can order the classes by decreasing or increasing order.
• Example: Car sales by location.

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 Graphic Presentation of Qualitative Data 3

• Pie Chart: A chart that shows the proportion or

percentage that each class represents of the total
number of frequencies.
• Example: Car sales by location.

Vehicle Type Number Sold Percent Sold

SUV 72 40
Sedan 54 30
Compact 27 15
Truck 18 10
Hybrid 9 5
Total 180 100

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 Constructing Frequency Distributions
• Frequency Distribution: A grouping of quantitative
data into mutually exclusive and collectively
exhaustive classes showing the number of
observations in each class.
• Step 1: Decide on the number of classes.
• Step 2: Determine the class interval (same for all
classes).
• Step 3: Set the individual class limits.
• Step 4: Tally the data into classes and determine the
number of the observations in each class.

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 Frequency Distributions 1

• Example: Profit on vehicles sold last month.

Table 2-4: Profit on Vehicles Sold Last Month by the Applewood Auto Group.
Maximum
$1,387 $2,148 $2,201 $ 963 $ 820 $2,230 $3,043 $2,584 $2,370
1,754 2,207 996 1,298 1,266 2,341 1,059 2,666 2,637
1,817 2,252 2,813 1,410 1,741 3,292 1,674 2,991 1,426
1,040 1,428 323 1,553 1,772 1,108 1,807 934 2,944
1,273 1,889 352 1,648 1,932 1,295 2,056 2,063 2,147
1,529 1,166 482 2,071 2,350 1,344 2,236 2,083 1,973
3,082 1,320 1,144 2,116 2,422 1,906 2,928 2,856 2,502
1,951 2,265 1,485 1,500 2,446 1,952 1,269 2,989 783
2,692 1,323 1,509 1,549 369 2,070 1,717 910 1,538
1,206 1,760 1,638 2,348 978 2,454 1,797 1,536 2,339
1,342 1,919 1,961 2,498 1,238 1,606 1,955 1,957 2,700
443 2,357 2,127 294 1,818 1,680 2,199 2,240 2,222

Minimun

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 Frequency Distributions 2

Maximum
754 2,866 2,430 1,115 1,824 1,827 2,482 2,395 2,597
1,621 732 1,704 1,124 1,907 1,915 2,701 1,325 2,742
870 1,464 1,876 1,532 1,938 2,084 3,210 2,250 1,837
1,174 1,626 2,010 1,688 1,940 2,639 377 2,279 2,842
1,412 1,762 2,165 1,822 2,197 842 1,220 2,626 2,434
1,809 1,915 2,231 1,897 2,646 1,963 1,401 1,501 1,640
2,415 2,119 2,389 2,445 1,461 2,059 2,175 1,752 1,821
1,546 1,766 335 2,886 1,731 2,338 1,118 2,058 2,487

Minimun

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 Frequency Distributions 3

• Step 1: Decide on the number of classes.

• Use the 2k  n rule, where n = 180.
• k is the number of classes.
• n is the number of values in the data set.
• 2k  180, let k 8.
• So use 8 classes.

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 Frequency Distributions 4

• Step 2: Determine the class interval.

• The classes all taken together must cover the
distance from the minimum to the maximum.
Maximum value  Minimum value
• The class interval: i 
k
$3292  $294
• $374.75, round up to $400.
8
• Use this class interval width for all intervals.

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 Frequency Distributions 5

• Step 3: Set the individual class limits.

Classes
$ 200 up to $ 600
600 up to 1,000
1,000 up to 1,400
1,400 up to 1,800
1,800 up to 2,200
2,200 up to 2,600
2,600 up to 3,000
3,000 up to 3,400

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 Frequency Distributions 6

• Step 4: Tally the data into classes and determine the

number of the observations in each class.

Profit Frequency
$ 200 up to $ 600 8
600 up to 1,000 11
1,000 up to 1,400 23
1,400 up to 1,800 38
1,800 up to 2,200 45
2,200 up to 2,600 32
2,600 up to 3,000 19
3,000 up to 3,400 4
Total 180

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 Relative Frequency Distributions
• To find the relative frequencies, take the class frequency
and divide by the total number of observations.
• Example: Profit on vehicles sold last month.
Profit Frequency Relative Frequency Found by
$ 200 up to $ 600 8 .044 8÷180
600 up to 1,000 11 .061 11÷180
1,000 up to 1,400 23 .128 23÷180
1,400 up to 1,800 38 .211 38÷180
1,800 up to 2,200 45 .250 45÷180
2,200 up to 2,600 32 .178 32÷180
2,600 up to 3,000 19 .106 19÷180
3,000 up to 3,400 4 .022 4÷180
Total 180 1.000

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 Graphic Presentation of a Frequency
Distribution 1

Histogram: A graph in which the classes are

marked on the horizontal axis and the class
frequencies on the vertical axis.
The class frequencies are represented by the
heights of the bars, and the bars are drawn adjacent
to each other.
• A histogram shows the shape of a distribution.
• Each class is depicted as a rectangle.
• The height of the bar representing the number in each
class.

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 Graphic Presentation of a Frequency
Distribution 2

• Example: Profit on vehicles sold last month.

Profit Frequency
$ 200 up to $ 600 8
600 up to 1,000 11
1,000 up to 1,400 23
1,400 up to 1,800 38
1,800 up to 2,200 45
2,200 up to 2,600 32
2,600 up to 3,000 19
3,000 up to 3,400 4
Total 180

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© McGraw Hill 18
 Graphical Presentation of a Frequency
Distribution 1

• A frequency polygon also shows the shape of a

distribution.
• Consists of line segments connecting the points
formed by connecting the class midpoints.
• Gives a quick picture of the main characteristics of
the data.
• Good to use when comparing two or more
distributions.

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 Graphical Presentation of a Frequency
Distribution 2

• Example: Profit on vehicles sold last month.

Profit Midpoint Frequency

$ 200 up to $ 600 $400 8
600 up to 1,000 800 11
1,000 up to 1,400 1,200 23
1,400 up to 1,800 1,600 38
1,800 up to 2,200 2,000 45
2,200 up to 2,600 2,400 32
2,600 up to 3,000 2,800 19
3,000 up to 3,400 3,200 4
Total 180

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 Graphical Presentation of a Frequency
Distribution 3

• Example:

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 Cumulative Frequency and Relative
Frequency Distributions 1

• Cumulative frequency distribution: Add each

frequency to the frequencies before it.
• Cumulative relative frequency distribution: Divide
the cumulative frequencies by the total number of
observations.
• This shows how many values have accumulated
as you move from one class down to the next
class.

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 Cumulative Frequency and Relative
Frequency Distributions 2

• Example: Profit on vehicles sold last month.

Profit Frequency Cumulative

Profit Frequency Found by
$ 200 up to $ 600 8
Less than $ 600 8 8
600 up to 1,000 11
Less than 1,000 19 8 + 11
1,000 up to 1,400 23
Less than 1,400 42 8 + 11 + 23
1,400 up to 1,800 38
Less than 1,800 80 8 + 11 + 23 + 38
1,800 up to 2,200 45
Less than 2,200 125 8 + 11 + 23 + 38 + 45
2,200 up to 2,600 32
Less than 2,600 157 8 + 11 + 23 + 38 + 45 + 32
2,600 up to 3,000 19
Less than 3,000 176 8 + 11 + 23 + 38 + 45 + 32 + 19
3,000 up to 3,400 4
Less than 3,400 180 8 + 11 + 23 + 38 + 45 + 32 + 19 + 4
Total 180

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 Cumulative Frequency and Relative
Frequency Distributions 3

• Example:

Cumulative
Profit Frequency Cumulative Relative Frequency
Less than $ 600 8 8÷180 = 0.044 = 4.4%
Less than 1,000 19 19÷180 = 0.106 = 10.6%
Less than 1,400 42 42÷180 = 0.233 = 23.3%
Less than 1,800 80 80÷180 = 0.444 = 44.4%
Less than 2,200 125 125÷180 = 0.694 = 69.4%
Less than 2,600 157 157÷180 = 0.872 = 87.2%
Less than 3,000 176 176÷180 = 0.978 = 97.8%
Less than 3,400 180 180÷180 = 1.000 = 100%

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 Cumulative Frequency and Relative
Frequency Distributions 4

• Example: Profit on vehicles sold last month.

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© McGraw Hill 25
 Chapter 2 Practice Problems

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 LO2.2
Question 5
Wellstone Inc. produces and markets replacement covers for cell phones
in five different colors: bright white, metallic black, magnetic lime,
tangerine orange, and fusion red. To estimate the demand for each color,
the company set up a kiosk for several hours in the Mall of America and
asked randomly selected people which cover color was their favorite.

a. What is the table called?

b. Draw a bar chart for the table. Bright white 130
c. Draw a pie chart. Metallic black 104

d. If Wellstone Inc. plans to Magnetic lime 325

produce one million cell phone Tangerine orange 455
covers, how many of each Fusion red 286
color should it produce?

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 LO2.3
Question 11
Wachesaw Manufacturing Inc. produced the following number of units in
the last 16 days.

27 27 27 28 27 25 25 28
26 28 26 28 31 30 26 26

The information is to be organized into a frequency distribution.

a. How many classes would you recommend?
b. What class interval would you suggest?
c. What lower limit would you recommend for the first class?
d. Organize the information into a frequency distribution and determine
the relative frequency distribution.
e. Comment on the shape of the distribution.

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 LO2.4
Question 17
The following frequency distribution Frequent Flier Miles (000) Number of Employees
reports the number of frequent flier 0 up to 3 5
miles, reported in thousands, for 3 up to 6 12
employees of Brumley Statistical 6 up to 9 23
Consulting Inc. during the most recent 9 up to 12 8
quarter. 12 up to 15 2
Total 50

a. How many employees were studied?

b. What is the midpoint of the first class? What lower limit would you recommend
for the first class?
c. Construct a histogram.
d. A frequency polygon is to be drawn. What are the coordinates of the plot for the
first class?
e. Construct a frequency polygon.
f. Interpret the frequent flier miles accumulated using the two charts.
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