Mr Vishal G STATISTICS

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Cumulative Frequency

 uses continuous data

 the ‘running total’ of frequencies

 the sum of the class and all classes below it in a frequency distribution.

Worked Example

The table below shows the age of 80 persons.

Age Intervals Frequency

1-10 2

11-20 9

21-30 25

31-40 30

41-50 10

51-60 4

Question: What is the lower-class boundary of the second class interval?

Answer: 10.5

Question: What is the upper-class boundary of the last class interval?

Answer: 60.5

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Question: What is the class width of the intervals?

Answer: The first class interval is 1-10. Using the first class interval,

Class width = Upper class boundary – Lower class boundary

= 10.5 − 0.5

= 10

Question: What is the lower class limit of the 4 th class interval?

Answer: 31

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(a) Fill out the cumulative frequency column of the data given above.

Age Intervals Frequency Cumulative Frequency Note: The value

obtained in the last
1-10 2 (0+2) 2
row should be equal to
11-20 9 (9+2) 11 the total number stated
in the question.
21-30 25 (11+25) 36

31-40 30 (36+30) 66

41-50 10 (66+10) 76

51-60 4 (76+4) 80

(b)Draw a cumulative frequency curve using the information provided above.

Note: When drawing a cumulative frequency curve, here are some useful tips:

- First, determine the upper-class boundary for each class interval of the grouped data

given as these values will be used to plot the cumulative frequency curve.

- In this case, the x-axis will represent age and y-axis is almost always used to

represent the cumulative frequency.

- The shape of the curve looks like a ‘stretched S’ and is called an ogive.

- Use a small ‘x’ or dot to plot the points and a fine pencil to connect them.

- Try to use as much of the graph paper as possible.

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Age Intervals Frequency Cumulative Frequency Upper Class Boundary

1-10 2 2 10.5

11-20 9 11 20.5

21-30 25 36 30.5

31-40 30 66 40.5

41-50 10 76 50.5

51-60 4 80 60.5

Coordinates to plot (x, y)

(10.5, 2)

(20.5, 11)

(30.5, 36)

(40.5, 66)

(50.5, 76)

(60.5, 80)

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Title: Cumulative Frequency Graph showing the age of 80 persons

Cumulative Frequency

Age (years)
Q1 Q2 Q3

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(c) What is the median age? Q2 (Median) =

Q2 = = = 40th value
Q1 (Lower Quartile) =
Using the cumulative frequency curve, the median age is 32 years.

Q3 (Upper Quartile) = x Cummulative Freq

(d) Determine the interquartile range.

IQR = Upper Quartile – Lower Quartile
Equation: (Q3 – Q1)

IQR = Q3 – Q1 where IQR = interquartile range

SIQR = (Q3 – Q1)
Q3 = 3rd quartile
Q1 = 1st quartile

The IQR (interquartile range) describes the middle 50% of values when ordered from highest to
lowest. It is a measure of the dispersion of data.

Q3 = x Cummulative Freq

Q3(Upper Quartile) = x 80 = 60th value

Using the cumulative frequency curve, the Q3 = 38 years.

Q1 (Lower Quartile) =

= = 20th Value
Using the cumulative frequency curve, the Q1 = 25 years.

IQR = Q3 – Q1
= 38 − 25
= 13 years

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(e) Determine the semi-interquartile range.

SIQR = (Q3 – Q1)

= (13)

= 6.5 years

(f) How many persons are over 50 years old?

Using the cumulative frequency curve, it can be deduced that 76 persons are under the age of 50.

Hence, 80 − 76 = 4 persons are over the age of 50.

(g) What is the probability of selecting a person over 50 years old?

Probability =

= = 0.05

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Example – Finding the median of a cumulative frequency curve

Question: Determine the median of the cumulative frequency curve below.

CummulativeFrequency

Age (years)

Solution:

The median value (Q2) = = = 30

Using the cumulative frequency curve, the median age is 20 years.

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PAST PAPERS:

JAN 2020 #5

…………………………………………………………………………………………….1 mark

(ii) upper quarile

…………………………………………………………………………………………….1 mark

(iii) semi-interquartile range

…………………………………………………………………………………………….2 marks

(iv) the number of students whose estimate is 2.8 grams or less.

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………………………………………………………………………………………………1 mark

.
P (mass > 6grams) =

………………………………………………………………………………2 marks

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MAY 2019 #5

1 mark

(ii) class width 1 mark

b) how many vehicles were recorded in the class 31-40 1 mark

c) A vehicle is chosen at random from the 150 vehicles. What is the probability that the volume
of petrol needed to fill its tank is more than 50.5 litres? Leave your answer as a fraction.

2 marks

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(d) Byron estimates the median amount of petrol to be 43.5 litres. Explain why Byron’s estimate
is INCORRECT.
1 mark
th
Byron’s estimate is wrong because the median would be given at the 75 vehicle (half the
cum freq) which would be found in the interval 31-40.

(e)Construct a histogram to represent the distribution of the volume of petrol needed to fill the
tanks of the 150 vehicles.

3 marks

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MAY 2017 #7

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(b)

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(c)

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(d) (i)

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JAN 2016 #7

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Standard Deviation

In statistics, the standard deviation is the measure of the amount of variation or dispersion of a
set of values. A low standard deviation indicates that the values tend to be close to the mean of
the set, while a high standard deviation indicates that the values are spread out over a wider
range.

➢ The standard deviation tells me how much the individual numbers are deviating from the
mean.

Note: When comparing the standard deviation of a set of values, vital

words to include are:
- “spread”
- “deviates”
- “mean”

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Example:
Diagram 1:

far
far

Standard deviation = 10

Diagram 2:

Values lie
closer to
mean

Standard deviation = 4

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For diagram 1, suppose that the standard deviation is 5 and for diagram 2, suppose that the
standard deviation is 1.

The standard deviation of diagram 1 is larger than the standard deviation of diagram 2.

Since standard deviation is a measure of the spread of data, it means that the values of diagram 1
were more ‘spread out’ or distributed over its range than the values in diagram 2.

E.g. Table showing students marks obtained in an exam:

GIRLS 60 65 70
BOYS 30 65 100

Average mark (Girls) = = = 65

We can that the marks of the girls lie CLOSE to the mean, therefore, there is a LOW
STANDARD DEVIATION.

Average mark (Boys) = = = 65

We can that the marks of the boys VARY FROM THE MEAN, therefore, there is a HIGH
STANDARD DEVIATION.

SUMMARY (INCASE CXC ASKS WHAT THE SD MEANS)

High SD = far from mean (VARIES A LOT)

Low SD = close to the mean

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