2.

1 Discrete and Continuous

Variables
2.1.1 Discrete Variable
2.1.2 Continuous Variable
 2.1.1 Discrete Variable
 These are the heights of 20 children in a school. The heights have
been measured correct to the nearest cm. For example
133 136 120 138 133
131 127 141 127 143
130 131 125 144 128
134 135 137 133 129
 . For example
 144 cm ( correct to the nearest cm) could have arisen from any value in
the range 143.5cm  h < 144.5 cm.
 Other examples of continuous data are
 the speed of vehicles passing a particular point,
 the masses of cooking apples from a tree,
 the time taken by each of a class of children to perform a task.

 **Continuous data cannot assume exact value, but can be given

only within a certain range or measured to a certain degree of
accuracy,**
 2.1.2 Continuous Variable

 There are the marks obtained by 30 pupils in a

test:
63 5 9 0 1 8 5 6 7 4 4 3 1 0
2 2 7 10 9 7 5 4 6 6 2 1 0 8 8

 the number of cars passing a checkpoint in a

certain time,
 the shoe sizes of children in a class,
 the number of tomatoes on each of the plants
 2.2 Frequency Tables

2.2.1 Frequency Tables for Discrete Data

2.2.2 Frequency Tables for Continuous Data
fi
ri 
 Relative Frequency is ri N , where ri is the
relative frequency for the class i
k

 and N = 
i 1
f
i
Percentage Frequency can be
obtained by multiplying the relative frequency by
100%.
 2.2.1 Frequency Tables for
Discrete Data
No. of vehicles Frequency % frequency cumulative
passing per minute, x % frequency
6 or below 15

7-8 14

9-10 15

11-12 12

13-14 11

15 or above 3

Total
 2.2.2 Frequency Tables for
Continuous Data
Weight Class mark frequency % frequency cumulative
% frequency
50.5 – 55.5 53 1

55.5 – 60.5 58 4

60.5 – 65.5 63 15

65.5 – 70.5 68 18

70.5 – 75.5 73 9

75.5 – 80.5 78 3

Total
 2.3 Graphical Representation

2.3.1 Bar Charts

2.3.2 Histograms
2.3.3 Frequency Polygons and Frequency
Curves
2.3.4 Cumulative Frequency Polygons and
Curves
2.3.5 Stem-and-leaf Diagrams
2.3.6 Logarithmic graphs
 2.3.1 Bar Charts

 The frequency distribution of a discrete

variable can be represented by a bar chart.
 2.3.2 Histograms
 A continuous frequency distribution
CANNOT be represented by a bar chart. It is
most appropriately represented by a
histogram.
 2.3.3 Frequency Polygons and
Frequency
Curves
 Frequency Polygons
 Frequency Curves
 Relative frequency polygons
 Relative frequency curves
 2.3.4 Cumulative Frequency
Polygons and
Curves
 Example
 The heights of 30 broad bean plants were measured, correct to the
nearest cm, 6 weeks after planting. The frequency distribution is given
below.
Height (cm) 3-5 6-8 9-11 12-14 15-17 18-20

Frequency 1 2 11 10 5 1

 Construct the cumulative frequency table.

 Construct the cumulative frequency curve.
 Estimate from the curve
 the number of plants that were less than 10 cm tall;
 the value of x, if 10% of the plants were of height x cm or more.
 2.3.5 Stem-and-leaf Diagrams

 1) In the below diagram, stems are

hundreds and leaves are units.
 The set of data in the diagram represents:
111,123,147,148,223,227,355,363,380,421,42
Stem (in 100) Leaves (in 10)
3,500
1 11 23 47 48

2 23 27

3 55 63 80

4 21 23

5 00
 A householder’s weekly consumption of
electricity in kilowatt-hours during a period of
nine week in a winter were as follows:

338,354,341,353,351,341,353,346,341.

Please completed stem and leaf diagram .

Examination results of 11 students:
 English:23,39,40,45,51,55,61,64,65,72,78
 Chinese:37,41,44,48,58,61,63,69,75,83,89

One way to compare their performances in the two

subjects is by means of side by side stem-and-leaf
diagrams.
 The comparison can be made more
dramatic by back-to-back stem-and-leaf
diagram.
Answer
Stem (in 10) Leaves (in 1)
33 8

34 1 1 1 6
35 1 3 3 4
2.3.6 Logarithmic graphs