Frequency distribution and

Graphic representation of
data
 Data
• Collection of important information is called data
• Discrete (Un grouped data)
• data can only take particular values (usually whole numbers) such as
the number of children per family.
• continuous (Grouped data)
• Continuous data can take any value in a given range, for example
height, age and temperature etc.
• Range
• The range of a set of numbers is the difference between the least
number and the greatest number in the set
 Frequency Distribution
 A frequency distribution is a tabular summary of data showing the
frequency (or number) of items in each of several nonoverlapping
classes.

 A frequency distribution table is one way you can organize data so that it
makes more sense.
 E.g class test marks
 2, 8, 6, 5, 6, 4, 7, 6, 5, 6, 5, 7, 3, 5, 4, 4, 1, 7, 8, 8, 6, 9, 8, 9, 7
• frequency distribution of ungrouped data
Marks Frequency
1 1

2 1
3 1
4 3
5 4
6 5
7 4
8 4

9 2
10 0
F= 20
 Frequency distribution of Grouped data
Example 2, The data below shows the weight of 40 students in a class.
The measurement is to the nearest kg.
(Construct a frequency table for the data using an appropriate scale).

55 70 57 73 55 59 64 72

60 48 58 54 69 51 63 78

75 64 65 57 71 78 76 62

49 66 62 76 61 63 63 76

52 76 71 61 53 56 67 71
• Step 1:
• Find the range.
• In this example, the greatest weight is 78 and the smallest weight is 48.
The range of the weights is then 78 – 48 = 30. The scale of the frequency
table must contain the range of weights.

• Step2:
• Find the intervals
• The intervals separate the scale into equal parts.
• We could choose intervals of 5. We then begin the scale with 45 and end
with 79
• Step 3: Draw the frequency table using the selected scale and
intervals.
weight (kg) Frequency

45 – 49 2

50 – 54 4

55 – 59 7

60 – 64 10

65 – 69 4

70 – 74 6

75 – 79 7
Graphical Representation of Data
• A picture is said to be more effective than words for describing a

• particular thing

• A graphic representation is the geometrical image of a set of data .

• It is a mathematical picture.

• It enables us to think about a statistical problem in visual terms.

• It is an effective and economic device for the presentation ,

• understanding and interpretation of the collected data.

Importance of graphical representation

• It is used to make the data understandable to common

• man.

• It helps in easy and quick understanding of data.

• Data displayed by graphical representation can be memorised for a

long time.

• Can be compared at a glance.

TYPES OF GRAPHICAL
REPRESENTATION
Ungrouped Data Grouped Data

Line graph Histogram

Bar graph Frequency Polygon

Pie Graph Frequency Curve

 • line graphs are simple Mathematical
Line graph
graphs that are drawn on the graph
paper by plotting the data

• connecting one variable on the

horizontal X- axis and other variable of
data on the vertical Y-axis.
Bar graph

• In bar graphs data is represented by

bars.
• The bars can be made in any direction
i.e. vertical or horizontal.
• The bars are taken of equal weight and
start from a common
• horizontal or vertical line and their
length indicates the
• corresponding values of statistical data.
When do we use bar diagram ?

• When the data are given in whole numbers.

• When the data are to be compared easily.

Pie Graph
• It is a type of graph in which a circle is
divided into sectors that each represent a
proportion of the whole.

• To draw a pie diagram, first the value of

each category is expressed as a percentage
of the total and then the angle 360⁰ is
divided in the same percentages
When do we use pie diagram?

• When the data are given in percentage.

• When different aspect of a variable are to be displayed.

• When the data are to be compared normally.

Histogram
• A histogram is essentially a bar
graph of a frequency distribution.
• It can be constructed for equal as
well as unequal class intervals.
• Area of any rectangle of a
histogram is proportional to the
frequency of that class.
When do we use histogram

• When data are given in the form of frequencies.

• When class interval has to be displayed by a diagram.

• When we need to calculate the Mode of a distribution graphically.

Frequency
polygon • A frequency polygon is essentially
a line graph .
• We can get it from a histogram, if
the mid points of the upper bases
of the rectangles are connected by
straight lines.
• But it is not essential to plot a
histogram first to draw it.
• We can construct it directly from
a given frequency distribution.
When do we use Frequency polygon

• When data are given in the form of frequencies.

• When two or more groups have to be displayed in one diagram.

• When two or more groups are to be compared.

FREQUENCY CURVE • Frequency curve is another type of graphical

representation of data.

• When then top points of a frequency polygon

are joined not by straight lines but by curved
ones.

• Frequency polygon is drawn using scale while

Frequency curve is drawn using free hand.
When do we use frequency curve

• When the number of class intervals are very large i.e. width of the

• class intervals are very small and the total number of sample values
be increased indefinitely.
CONCLUSION

• So we can conclude that statistical data may be presented in a more

attractive form with the help of some graphic aids i.e., pictures and
diagrams

• which carries a lot of communication power and the task of

understand and interpretation of data becomes simple, accurate and
practicable.