Frequency Distribution

Published Oct 25, 2023

Definition of Frequency Distribution

A frequency distribution is a representation of how often different values or intervals occur in a dataset. It organizes data into groups or intervals, along with a count of how many times each value or interval appears. Frequency distributions are commonly used to analyze and understand the distribution of data.

Example

Let’s consider a dataset of students’ test scores in a class. The scores range from 60 to 100. We want to create a frequency distribution to understand how many students scored within certain ranges. We decide to group the scores into intervals of 10 (e.g., 60-69, 70-79, etc.).

After analyzing the dataset, we find the following frequency distribution:

– 60-69: 4 students
– 70-79: 8 students
– 80-89: 10 students
– 90-99: 5 students
– 100: 2 students

This frequency distribution tells us that there are 4 students who scored between 60 and 69, 8 students who scored between 70 and 79, and so on. We can use this information to identify the most common score range and understand the distribution of scores in the class.

Why Frequency Distribution Matters

Frequency distributions are important for analyzing and summarizing data. They provide an organized and concise representation of how values are distributed within a dataset. By visualizing the frequency distribution, patterns and trends in the data can be identified, such as the presence of outliers or the shape of the distribution (e.g., normal, skewed, etc.). This helps in making informed decisions, identifying areas of improvement, and understanding the characteristics of the data. Frequency distributions are widely used in statistics, research, and data analysis across various fields and industries.