How To Construct A Frequency Distribution In Excel

Joshua is a graduate student at the USF. He has interests in business engineering, analytics, finance, and lean vi sigma.

The illustration shows a frequency distribution that was created in an Excel worksheet.

Created by Joshua Crowder

What Is a Frequency Distribution?

In the field of statistics, a frequency distribution is a information ready or graph that is organized to testify frequencies of the occurrence outcomes. Each issue from the data set up that forms a frequency distribution is a repeatable event and can be observed multiple times.

A unproblematic example is the frequency of book purchases. Since the shelves of a book stores have multiple books for auction, the frequency of purchases as an consequence is repeatable. Frequency distributions tin be shown in the form of a tabular array and in graph form. Frequency distributions have proved to be about useful particularly in summarizing large data sets and assigning probabilities to attributes of that data.

Excel Frequency Function

The Excel frequency function calculates the frequency of values that occur inside a range of values. So, if one of the ranges in a table is fifteen–20 and only 2 numbers in the data set are between this range, and then the frequency will show upward equally 2. Since this part returns an array (data set), as a consequence, the formula must have a respective array for an input. The Syntax of the frequency function is shown in the table below.

Characteristics of Frequency Function

=FREQUENCY(data_array, bins_array)
data_arrry: reference to the information set that is counted
bins_array: reference to intervals to group the data

Frequency Office Example

It would exist all-time to get right into an example, as this office tin can cause some confusion in a general caption. Suppose you have a list of numbers, and you lot demand to know the frequency of the numbers in multiple ranges or class intervals. Consider the following data prepare: 17, 20, 25, 27, 19, 19, 20, 32, 26, 23, 24, 23, 27, 38, 21, 23, 22, 28, 33, eighteen, 27, 20, 23, 27, 31.

Earlier creating a table, you need to determine how many classes of intervals you will have in the frequency tabular array that you are creating. The all-time fashion to find this out is by taking the square root of the numbers that yous have in the data set up. Since I accept 25 numbers in this ready, it would be suitable to separate the data into 5 classes.

Next, to get an idea of where the minimum class should beginning, you need to wait at the minimum value in the information fix. Since the minimum is 17, I'll choose 15 to be the minimum of the first class interval. At present I can create all the class intervals based on this first minimum value. Observe the table beneath. While also considering my maximum value from the data set, I created five classes. Information technology worked out this fourth dimension, but if the loftier value was 41, I would accept had to create another form interval.

Creating the Course Interval

Lower Class	Upper Grade
xv	xx
20	25
25	30
thirty	35
35	twoscore

Applying the Frequency Function

Now that the class intervals are created the frequency function tin exist practical. The area to the right of my class intervals is where the frequencies will appear. This whole area needs to exist selected.

Next, the formula needs to be typed in. It volition announced equally =frequency(, then after the first parenthesis the information set needs to exist selected. After the data set is selected a comma is added, then the assortment of high-class values is selected. Side by side, add a parenthesis at the end and suspension.

To enable the part, you need to printing ctrl + shift + enter. After doing so, all the frequencies will populate. The control shift enter task adds brackets to the ends of the function. Note that the function will not work properly without this last pace.

When using this function, y'all have to be very specific about the intervals. For instance, if I had a value below fifteen information technology would yet evidence upward in my first-class interval because the function merely knows that everything under the value of twenty goes in the everyman class interval. Same with the highest course. If I had numbers above 45, they would nonetheless be counted as being in the highest class.

This is the point where yous printing shift+ctrl+enter. Doing and so will add brackets to the function to enable it to print all the frequency values.

Created by Joshua Crowder

Results

Beneath, the illustration shows the results of the frequency office. Discover that the sum of the frequencies adds up to a full of 25, which is the total number of values in the case data set. Take notice that I added an extra class by accident and that the frequency for that class remains at zero.

The style I used this formula every value less than or equal to 20 appears in the first class. In the adjacent course, all numbers are greater than 19 and less than or equal to 25. If you need to exclude the higher interval value, label them equally nineteen.99, 24.99, 29.99, 34.99, 39.99 when using this function.

The frequencies in this example are the number of individual numbers in the data ready that appears within each interval.

Created by Joshua Crowder

Adding Relative Frequency and Cumulative Frequencies

Depending on how your data set needs to exist analyzed, adding relative frequency and cumulative frequency columns to a frequency table can exist beneficial. Every bit shown in the illustration beneath, I created an additional cavalcade to evidence the relative frequency.

First, for the relative frequency column, I summed the frequencies, then divided each frequency by the sum to show each proportion. Side by side, for the cumulative frequency column, I added the cumulative frequency for each consecutive class.

It is crucial that the sum of the relative frequencies is 1 and that the cumulative frequency for the last class should be ane. If either is not 1, an fault in the calculation may have been made.

Created by Joshua Crowder

To acquire more near using creating frequency distributions and other applications related to Excel statistical applications I recommend the post-obit book. I have been using the Excel Bible for years to improve my understanding of all aspects of this Microsoft production.

References

Britannica, T. Eastward. (2013, Dec 10). Frequency distribution. Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://www.britannica.com/applied science/frequency-distribution

FREQUENCY part. (north.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://support.role.com/en-the states/article/FREQUENCY-function-44E3BE2B-ECA0-42CD-A3F7-FD9EA898FDB9

Crowder, J. (2020, January one). How to Create a Frequency Distribution Table in Microsoft Excel. Retrieved January ane, 2020, from https://youtu.exist/TNBsbEL_UGY.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized communication from a qualified professional.

© 2018 Joshua Crowder

Source: https://turbofuture.com/computers/Frequency-Distribution-Table-in-Excel

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