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UNIT-1
FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION
Structure:
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Objectives
1.2 Measures of Central Tendency
1.2.1 Arithmetic mean
1.2.2 Median
1.2.3 Mode
1.2.4 Empirical relation among mode, median and mode
1.2.5 Geometric mean
1.2.6 Harmonic mean
1.3 Partition values
1.3.1 Quartiles
1.3.2 Deciles
1.3.3 Percentiles
1.4 Measures of dispersion
1.4.1 Range
1.4.2 Semi-interquartile range
1.4.3 Mean deviation
1.4.4 Standard deviation
1.2.5 Geometric mean
1.5 Absolute and relative measure of dispersion
1.6 Moments
1.7 Karl Pearson’s β and γ coefficients
1.8 Skewness
1.9 Kurtosis
1.10 Let us sum up
1.11 Check your progress : The key.
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
According to Simpson and Kafka a measure of central tendency is typical
value around which other figures aggregate‘.
According to Croxton and Cowden ‗An average is a single value within the
range of the data that is used to represent all the values in the series. Since an
average is somewhere within the range of data, it is sometimes called a measure of
central value‘.

1.1 OBJECTIVES

The main aim of this unit is to study the frequency distribution. After going through this unit you
should be able to :

 describe measures of central tendency ;

 calculate mean, mode, median, G.M., H.M. ;

 find out partition values like quartiles, deciles, percentiles etc;

 know about measures of dispersion like range, semi-inter-quartile range, mean deviation,
standard deviation;

 calculate moments, Karls Pearsion’s β and γ coefficients, skewness, kurtosis.

1.2 MEASUIRES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY

The following are the five measures of average or central tendency that are in
common use :
(i) Arithmetic average or arithmetic mean or simple mean
(ii) Median
(iii) Mode
(iv) Geometric mean
(v) Harmonic mean
Arithmetic mean, Geometric mean and Harmonic means are usually called
Mathematical averages while Mode and Median are called Positional averages.
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1.2.1 ARITHMETIC MEAN

To find the arithmetic mean, add the values of all terms and them divide sum by the
number of terms, the quotient is the arithmetic mean. There are three methods to find
the mean :
(i) Direct method: In individual series of observations x1, x2,… xn the arithmetic mean is
obtained by following formula.
x  x  x  x .............xn1  xn
A.M .  1 2 3 4
n
(ii) Short-cut method: This method is used to make the calculations simpler.
Let A be any assumed mean (or any assumed number), d the deviation of the
arithmetic mean, then we have

M.  A
 fd ( d=(x-A))
N
(iii)Step deviation method: If in a frequency table the class intervals have equal width,
say i than it is convenient to use the following formula.

M  A
 fu  i
n
where u=(x-A)/ i ,and i is length of the interval, A is the assumed mean.

Example 1. Compute the arithmetic mean of the following by direct and short -cut methods
both:

Class 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70

Freqyebcy 8 26 30 20 16

Solution.

Class Mid Value f fx d= x-A fd

x A = 45
20-30 25 8 200 -20 -160
30-40 35 26 910 -10 -260
40-50 45 30 1350 0 0
50-60 55 20 1100 10 200
6070 65 16 1040 20 320
Total N = 100 ∑ fx = 4600 ∑f d = 100
By direct method

M = (∑fx)/N = 4600/100 = 46.

By short cut method.

Let assumed mean A= 45.

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M = A + (∑ fd )/N = 45+100/100 = 46.

Example 2 Compute the mean of the following frequency distribution using step deviation
method. :

Class 0-11 11-22 22-33 33-44 44-55 55-66

Frequency 9 17 28 26 15 8

Solution.

Class Mid-Value f d=x-A u = (x-A)/i fu

(A=38.5) i=11
0-11 5.5 9 -33 -3 -27
11-22 16.5 17 -22 -2 -34
22-33 27.5 28 -11 -1 -28
33-44 38.5 26 0 0 0
44-55 49.5 15 11 1 15
55-66 60.5 8 22 2 16
Total N = 103 ∑fu = -58

Let the assumed mean A= 38.5, then

M = A + i(∑fu )/N = 38.5 + 11(-58)/103

= 38.5 - 638/103 = 38.5 - 6.194 = 32.306

PROPERTIES OF ARITHMETIC MEAN

Property 1 The algebraic sum of the deviations of all the variates from their arithmetic
mean is zero.

Proof . Let X1, X2,… Xn be the values of the variates and their corresponding frequencies be
f1, f2, …, fn respectively.

Let xi be the deviation of the variate Xi from the mean M, where i = 1,2, …, n. Then

Xi = Xi –M, i = 1,2,…, n.
n n

 fixi   f ( X  M )
i 1 i 1
i i

n n
=M 
i 1
fi  M  f i
i 1
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=0

Exercise 1(a)

Q.1) Marks obtained by 9 students in statistics are given below.

52 75 40 70 43 65 40 35 48

calculate the arithmetic mean.

Q.2) Calculate the arithmetic mean of the following distribution

Variate : 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Frequency: 20 43 57 61 72 45 39

Q.3) Find the mean of the following distribution

Variate : 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50

Frequency: 31 44 39 58 12

1.2.2 MEDIAN

The median is defined as the measure of the central term, when the given terms (i.e.,
values of the variate) are arranged in the ascending or descending order of magnitudes. In
other words the median is value of the variate for which total of the frequencies above this
value is equal to the total of the frequencies below this value.

Due to Corner, ―The median is the value of the variable which divides the group into two
equal parts one part comprising all values greater, and the other all values less then the
median‖.

For example. The marks obtained, by seven students in a paper of Statistics are 15, 20, 23,
32, 34, 39, 48 the maximum marks being 50, then the median is 32 since it is the value of the
4th term, which is situated such that the marks of 1st, 2nd and 3rd students are less than this
value and those of 5th, 6th and 7th students are greater then this value.

COMPUTATION OF MEDIAN

(a)Median in individual series.

Let n be the number of values of a variate (i.e. total of all frequencies). First of all
we write the values of the variate (i.e., the terms) in ascending or descending order of
magnitudes

Here two cases arise:

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Case 1. If n is odd then value of (n+1)/2th term gives the median.

 n 1
th
th
Case2. If n is even then there are two central terms i.e., n/2 and   The mean of
 2 
these two values gives the median.

(b) Median in continuous series (or grouped series). In this case, the median (Md) is
computed by the following formula

n
 cf
Md  l  2 i
f

Where Md = median

l = lower limit of median class

cf = total of all frequencies before median class

f = frequency of median class

i = class width of median class.

Example 1 – According to the census of 1991, following are the population figure, in
thousands, of 10 cities :

1400, 1250, 1670, 1800, 700, 650, 570, 488, 2100, 1700.

Find the median.

Solution. Arranging the terms in ascending order.

488, 570, 650, 700, 1250, 1400, 1670, 1800, 2100.

Here n=10, therefore the median is the mean of the measure of the 5th and 6th terms.

Here 5th term is 1250 and 6th term is 1400.

Median (Md) = (1250+14000)/2 Thousands

= 1325 Thousands

Examples 2. Find the median for the following distribution:

Wages in Rs. 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50

No. of workers 22 38 46 35 20

Solution . We shall calculate the cumulative frequencies.

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Wages in Rs. No. of Workers f Cumulative Frequencies (c.f.)

0-10 22 22
10-20 38 60
20-30 46 106
30-40 35 141
40-50 20 161

Here N = 161. Therefore median is the measure of (N + 1)/2th term i.e 81st term. Clearly 81st
term is situated in the class 20-30. Thus 20-30 is the median class. Consequently.

n
 cf
Median M d  l  2 i
f

= 20 + (½  161 – 60) / 46  10

= 20 + 205/46 = 20 + 4.46 = 24.46.

Example 3. Find the median of the following frequency distribution:

Marks No. of students Marks No. of students

Less than 10 15 Less than 50 106
Less than 20 35 Less than 60 120
Less than 30 60 Less than 70 125
Less than 40 84

Solution . The cumulative frequency distribution table :

Class (Marks) Frequency f Cumulative

(No. of students) Frequency (C. F.)
0-10 15 15
10-20 20 35
20-30 25 60
30-40 24 84
40-50 22 106
50-60 14 120
60-70 5 125
Total N = 125

 125  1 
th

Median = measure of   term

 2 
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= 63rd term.

Clearly 63rd term is situated in the class 30-40.

Thus median class = 30 - 40

n
 cf
Median M d  l  2 i
f

=30 + (125/2 – 60) / 24  10

= 30 + 25/24

= 30+1.04 = 31.04

1.2.3 MODE

The word ‗mode is formed from the French word ‗La mode‘ which means ‗in
fashion‘. According to Dr. A. L. Bowle ‗the value of the graded quantity in a statistical
group at which the numbers registered are most numerous, is called the mode or the
position of greatest density or the predominant value.‘

Mode

According to other statisticians, ‗The value of the variable which occurs most
frequently in the distribution is called the mode.‘
―The mode of a distribution is the value around the items tends to be most heavily
concentrated. It may be regarded at the most typical value of the series‖.

Definition. The mode is that value (or size) of the variate for which the frequency is
maximum or the point of maximum frequency or the point of maximum density. In other
words, the mode is the maximum ordinate of the ideal curve which gives the closest fit to
the actual distribution.
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Method to Compute the mode:

(a) When the values (or measures) of all the terms (or items) are given. In this case the
mode is the value (or size) of the term (or item) which occurs most frequently.

Example 1. Find the mode from the following size of shoes

Size of shoes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Frequency 1 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 1

Here maximum frequency is 3 whose term value is 6. Hence the mode is modal size number
6.

(b) In continuous frequency distribution the computation of mode is done by the following
formula

f1  f 0
Mode M 0  l  i … (i)
2 f1  f 0  f 2

l = lower limit of class,

f1 = frequency of modal class,

f 0 =frequency of the class just preceding to the modal class,

f 2 =frequency of the class just following of the modal class,

i =class interval

Example 2.Compute the mode of the following distribution:

Class : 0-7 7-14 14-21 21-28 28-35 35-42 42-49
Frequency :19 25 36 72 51 43 28
Solution. Here maximum frequency 72 lies in the class-interval 21-28. Therefore 21-28 is
the modal class.
l = 21, f1 = 72, f 0 = 36, f 2 = 51, i = 7

f1  f 0
Mode M 0  l  i
2 f1  f 0  f 2
72  36
= 21  10
(2  72  36  51)
= 21 + 357 / 87
= 21 + 4.103
= 25.103.
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(c) Method of determining mode by the method of grouping frequencies. This method is
usually applied in the cases when there are two maximum frequencies against two different
size of items. This method is also applied in the cases when it is possible that the effect of
neighboring frequencies on the size of item (of maximum frequency) may be greater. The
method is as follows :

Firstly the items are arranged in ascending or descending order and corresponding
frequencies are written against them.The frequencies are then grouped in two and then in
threes and then is fours (if necessary). In the first stage of grouping, they are grouped (i.e.,
frequencies are added) by taking, first and second, third and fourth, …, . After it, the
frequencies are added in threes. The frequencies are added in the following two ways :

1. (i) First and second, third and fourth, fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth, …
(ii) Second and third, fourth and fifth, …
2. (i) First, second and third; fourth, fifth and sixth, …
(ii) Second, third and fourth; fifth, sixth and seventh, …
(iii) Third, fourth and fifth; sixth seventh and eighth, …
Now the items with maximum frequencies are selected and the item which
contains the maximum is called the mode. For illustration see following example 1.

Example 3. Compute the mode from the following distribution :

Size of Item 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Frequency 2 5 8 9 12 14 14 15 11 13
Solution. From the given date we observe that size 11 has the maximum
frequency 15, but it is possible that the effect of neighboring frequencies on the size
of the item may be greater. Thus it may happen that the frequencies of size 10 or 12
may be greater and 11 may not remain mode. We shall apply the method of
grouping.

Size of I II III IV V VI
Items
4 2
7
5 5
13
6 8
17 15
7 9
21 22
8 12
26 35 29
9 14
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28 40
10 14
29 40 43
11 15
26 39
12 11
24
13 13

We have used brackets against the frequencies which have been grouped. Now we
shall find the size of the item containing maximum frequency :
Column Size of item having maximum frequency
I 11
II 10,11
III 9,10
IV 10,11,12
V 8,9,10
VI 9,10,11

Here size 8 occurs 1 time, 9 occurs 3 times, 10 occurs 5 times, 11 occurs 4 times, 12
occurs 1 time.
Since 10 occurs maximum number of times (5 times).
Hence the required mode is size 10.

1.2.4 EMPIRICAL RELATION BETWEEN MEDAIN AND MODE

For moderately asymmetrical distribution (or for asymmetrical curve), the relation
Mean – Mode = 3 (Mean - Median),
approximately holds. In such a case, first evaluate mean and median and then mode
is determined by
Mode = 3 Median – 2 Mean.
If in the asymmetrical curve the area on the left of mode is greater than area on the
right then
Mean < median < mode, i. e., (M < Md < M0)
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Mode
Median Mode
Median
Mean
Mean

M < Md < M0 M0 < Md < M

If in the asymmetrical curve, the area on the left of mode is less than the area on the
right then in this case

Mode < median , mean, i.e. (M0 < Md < M).

Exercise 1(c)
Q.1) Find the Mode of the following model size number of shoes.
Model size no. of shoes : 3,4,2,1,7,6,6,7,5,6,8,9,5.

Q.2) Compute the Mode of the following distribution.

Class : 0-7 7-14 14-21 21-28 28-35 35-42 42-49
Frequency :19 25 36 72 51 43 28

1.2.5 GEOMETRIC MEAN

If x1,x2, … ,xn. are n values of the variate x, none of which is zero . Then their
geometric mean G is defined by
G = (x1, x2, … xn)1/n (1)

If f1, f2, … , fn are the frequencies of x1,x2,…, xn respectively, then geometric mean G
is given by

G = {x1f1 x2f2 … xnfn} 1/N

N = f1 + f2 + …. + fn
Taking log of (1), we get
Log G = 1/N [f1 log x1 + f2 log x2 + … + fn log xn]
1 n
Log G =  fi log xi
N i 1
1 n
Log G =  f log x.
N 1
Example 2. Compute the geometric mean of the following distribution:
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Marks 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40

No. of students 5 8 3 4
Solution . Here
Class Mid-value Frequency Log Product
Log10 x F log x
0-10 5 5 0.6990 3.4950
10-20 15 8 1.1761 9.4088
20-30 25 3 1.3979 4.1937
30-40 35 4 1.5441 6.1764
N = ∑f = 20 ∑flogx =
23.2739

Log G = (∑log x)/N = 23.2739/20 = 1.1637

G = anti-log (1.1637) = 12.58 marks.

1.2.6 HARMONIC MEAN

The Harmonic mean of a series of values is the reciprocal of the arithmetic means of
their reciprocals. Thus if x1,x2,…, xn (none of them being zero) is a series and H is its
harmonic mean then
1 1 1 1 1
 [   ....  ]
H N x1 x 2 xn
If f1, f2, …, fn be the frequencies of x1,x2, … , xn (none of them being zero) then harmonic
mean H is given by

H .M . 
f
1
fx
Example 1. Find the harmonic mean of the marks obtained in a class test, given below

Marks : 11 12 13 14 15
No. of students: 3 7 8 5 2

Solution.
Marks Frequency 1/x f  1/x
X f
11 3 0.0909 0.2727
12 7 0.0833 0.5831
13 8 0.0769 0.6152
14 5 0.0714 0.3570
15 2 0.0667 0.1334
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N = ∑f = 25 ∑f/x = 1.9614

Required harmonic mean is given by

H .M . 
f
1
fx
= 25 / 1.9614
= 25/1.9614
= 250000/19614
= 12.746 marks.
Property . For two observations x1 and x2, we have
AH = G2
Where A = arithmetic mean, H = harmonic mean and G = geometric mean.

1.3. PARTITION VALUES

If the values of the variate are arranged in ascending or descending order of

magnitudes then we have seen above that median is that value of the variate which divides
the total frequencies in two equal parts. Similarly the given series can be divided into four,
ten and hundred equal pars. The values of the variate dividing into four equal parts are
called Quartile, into ten equal parts are called Decile and into hundred equal parts are
called Percentile.

1.3.1 QUARTILES :

Definition. The values of the variate which divide the total frequency into four equal
parts, are called quartiles. That value of the variate which divides the total frequency into
two equal parts is called median. The lower quartile or first quartile denoted by Q1 divides
the frequency between the lowest value and the median into two equal parts and similarly
the upper quartile (or third quartile) denoted by Q3 divides the frequency between the
median and the greatest value into two equal parts. The formulas for computation of
quartiles are given by

n 3n
 cf  cf
Q1  l  4 i , Q3  l  4 i
f f

where l, cf , n, f, i. have the same meaning as in the formula for median.

1.3.2 DECILES :