LESSON 2

Frequency Distribution and Data Presentation

Overview:
This lesson explain how to organize and display data using tables and
graphs. We will learn how to prepare frequency distribution tables for qualitative
and quantitative data and how to construct some graphs.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of Lesson, the students can:
1. construct frequency distribution table
2. choose appropriate graph in displaying data
3. present the data graphically

Materials Needed:
• e-copy of modules
• Laptop and/or mobile phone
• Moodle and/or Facebook, YouTube.
• Calculator

Duration: 4 hours

Learning Content:
Lesson 2.1 Frequency Distribution
The most common procedure for organizing and simplyfing a set of data is to
place them in a frequency distribution.
Frequency distribution refers to an organized tabulation of the number of
individuals located in each category on the scale of measurement. It enables the
researcher to see whether the scores are high or low, whether they are
concentrated in one area or spread out across the entire set. Moreover, it allows
the researcher to see the location of any individual score relative all of the other
scores in the set.
1. Determine the classes
• Find the range of the data = largest value minus the smallest value
• Find the class width by dividing the range by the number of classes
and rounding up. (Add 1 if this value is a whole number).
• Select a starting point (usually the lowest value); add the width to
get the lower limits of all subsequent classes.

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 • Find the upper class limit for each class by subtracting 1 unit from
the last decimal place of the lower class limit of the next class.
• If the lower class limit of the next class is 12.5, then the upper class
limit for the previous class is 12.4.
• If the lower class limit of the next class is 11, then the upper class
limit of the previous class is 10.
• If the lower class limit of the next class is 18.55, then the upper
class limit of the previous class is 18.54.
• Find the boundaries.
2. Tally (count) the data in each
3. Find the numerical frequencies from the tallies.
Example 1. When 40 people were surveyed at Greenbelt 3, they reported the
distance they drove to the mall, and the result (In kilometre) are given.
1 8 1 5 9 5 14 10 31 20
15 4 10 6 5 5 1 8 12 10
25 40 31 24 20 20 3 9 15 15
25 8 1 1 16 23 18 25 21 12
Construct a frequency distribution

Solution: Follow the given steps.

The number of class is 8.

Range= highest-lowest = 40 – 1= 39

𝑅 39
Class with = 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠 = = 4.875 ≈ 5
8

Table 2.1. Determine the lower-class limits

Class limit
1-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
31-35
36-40

Table 2.2. Determine the class boundaries

Class limit Class boundaries
1-5 0.5-5.5
6-10 5.5-10.5
11-15 10.5-15.5
16-20 15.5-20.5

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 21-25 20.5-25.5
26-30 25.5-30.5
31-35 30.5-35.5
36-40 35.5-40.5

Table 2.3. Tally the scores

Class limit Class boundaries Tally
1-5 0.5-5.5 IIIII-IIIII-I
6-10 5.5-10.5 IIIII-IIII
11-15 10.5-15.5 IIIII-I
16-20 15.5-20.5 IIIII
21-25 20.5-25.5 IIIII-I
26-30 25.5-30.5
31-35 30.5-35.5 II
36-40 35.5-40.5 I

Table 2.4. Make the frequency distribution table

Class limit Class boundaries Tally Frequency
1-5 0.5-5.5 IIIII-IIIII-I 11
6-10 5.5-10.5 IIIII-IIII 9
11-15 10.5-15.5 IIIII-I 6
16-20 15.5-20.5 IIIII 5
21-25 20.5-25.5 IIIII-I 6
26-30 25.5-30.5 0
31-35 30.5-35.5 II 2
36-40 35.5-40.5 I 1

A variation of the standard frequency table used when cumulative totals are
desired. The commulative frequency for table whose classes are in increasing
order, is the sum of the frequency for that classes and all previews classes.
Table 2.5.
Class limit Class Tally Frequency Cumulative
boundaries frequency
1-5 0.5-5.5 IIIII-IIIII-I 11 11
6-10 5.5-10.5 IIIII-IIII 9 20
11-15 10.5-15.5 IIIII-I 6 26
16-20 15.5-20.5 IIIII 5 31
21-25 20.5-25.5 IIIII-I 6 37
26-30 25.5-30.5 0 37
31-35 30.5-35.5 II 2 39
36-40 35.5-40.5 I 1 40

When constructing a frequency table.

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 1. The class must be mutually exclusive; each score must belong to only one
class.
2. Include all classes, even if their frequency is zero.
3. Make sure that all classes have the same width.
4. Try to select convenient numbers for classes.
5. Make sure that the number of classes should be between 5 and 20.

Learning Activity:
1. Construct a frequency distribution table using class 6 for the IQ score for a
group of 35 high school students.

91 110 80 75 90 95 77
87 112 69 105 79 100 108
95 85 109 100 86 98 90
123 96 90 99 90 80 89
98 71 84 94 93 104 89

Table 2.6. Complete the table

Class limit Class Class Tally Frequency Cumulative
boundaries Midpoints frequency

Lesson 2.1 Data Presentation: Histograms, Frequency Polygons, and

Ogives

Histogram – a graph that displays quantitative data by using contiguous vertical

bars (unless the frequency of a class is 0) of various heights to represent the
frequencies of the classes.

Steps:
1. Draw and label the x and y axes.
2. Represent the frequency on the y axis and the class boundaries on the x
axis.
3. Draw vertical bars which have height corresponding to the frequency of
each class.

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 Example 2. Use class boundaries and frequencies of the classes to
construct Histogram.
Table 2.7.

Using the steps given, we have

Figure 2.1.

Frequency Polygon – a graph that displays the data by using lines that connect
points plotted for the frequencies at the midpoints of the classes. The frequencies
are represented by the heights of the points.

Steps:
1. Find the midpoint of each class (by averaging the class boundaries).
2. Draw the x and y axes. Label the x axis with the midpoints of each class
and use a suitable scale for the y axis frequencies.
3. Using the midpoints of the classes for the x value and the frequencies for
the y value, plot the points.
4. Connect the adjacent points with line segments Draw a line back to the x-
axis at the beginning and end of the graph, at the same distance that the
previous and next midpoints would be located.
• To calculate these points, subtract the class width from the
midpoint of the first class and add the class width to the midpoint of
the last class.
Example 3: Frequency polygons use class midpoints and frequencies of the
classes.

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 Table 2.8.

Using given steps, we have

Figure 2.2.

Frequency polygons vs histograms:

• They are two different ways to represent the same data set.
• The choice is at the researcher’s discretion.
• They show the overall shape of the distribution of the variable.

Ogive (“o-jive”) – a graph that represents the cumulative frequencies for the
classes in a frequency distribution.
• Ogives are used to visually represent how many values are below a
certain upper class boundary.
Steps:
1. Draw the x and y axes. Label the x axis with the class boundaries. Use an
appropriate scale for the y axis.
2. Plot the cumulative frequency at each class boundary.
3. Connect the points with lines.

Example 4: Ogivesuse upper class boundaries and cumulative frequencies of

the classes.

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 Table 2.9.

Using the given steps, we have

Figure 2.3.

Bar Graph – represents the data by using vertical or horizontal bars whose
heights or lengths represent the frequencies of the data. Used for qualitative
data.
• The bars of a horizontal bar graph are horizontal.
• Relevant to qualitative variables.

Steps:
1. Draw the x and y axes. Label the x axis and y axis.
2. Draw of the appropriately sized bars for each category.

The following bar graph is for the survival by sex groups on the titanic:

Figure 2.4.

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Pareto Chart – used to represent a frequency distribution for a categorical
variable, and the frequencies are displayed by the heights of vertical bars,
which are arranged in order from highest to lowest.
• This is a bar chart with a special ordering.
• The Pareto chart has the qualitative variable on the x axis.
• The highest frequency categories are on the left and the lowest frequency
categories are on the right.

Suggestions for Drawing Pareto Charts

• Make the bars the same width.
• Arrange the data from largest to smallest according to frequency.
• Make the units that are used for the frequency equal in size.

Figure 2.5.

Pie Graph – a circle that is divided into sections or wedges according to the
percentage of frequencies (relative frequency) in each category of the
distribution.
Figure 2.6.

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When analyzing a pie graph, examine the size of the sections of the pie graph
and compare them to other sections and how they compare to the whole.

Learning Activity:
a. Construct a frequency Polygon using the given data
Table 2.10.

b. Construct an Histogram using the given data

Table 2.11.

c. Construct an Ogive using the given data

Table 2.12

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 Key points
• Three methods of data presentation: textual, tabular and graphical.
• Two or all the methods could be combined to fully describe the data at hand.
• Distribution of data is presented using frequency distribution table and
histogram.

Learning Evaluation:
No. Gender Age as of Last Birthday Receiving Monthly Pension? (Y/N) Gross
Monthly Family Income (in thousand pesos) Number of Years as Member
A. You are to describe the data on the following table. Perform what is being
asked for in the questions found after the table.

Table 2.13. Characteristics of the 30 members of the Batong Malake Senior

Citizens Association (BMSCA) who participated in their 2009 Lakbay-Aral
No Gender Age as of Receiving Gross Monthly Number of
Last Birthday Monthly Family Income (in Years as
Pension? (Y/N) thousand pesos) Member
1 Female 61 Yes 45.0 1
2 Female 64 Yes 26.3 2
3 Male 74 No 33.5 10
4 Male 80 No 50.0 12
5 Female 63 Yes 18.4 2
6 Female 71 Yes 30.0 9
7 Female 75 No 41.0 2
8 Male 64 No 10.1 3
9 Male 65 No 46.5 5
10 Female 68 Yes 18.0 3
11 Female 71 Yes 34.2 6
12 Female 63 Yes 73.1 2
13 Female 72 Yes 15.6 11
14 Male 76 Yes 17.4 11
15 Female 69 No 33.8 8
16 Male 70 Yes 35.1 9
17 Male 74 Yes 18.5 6
18 Female 68 Yes 65.7 8
19 Female 79 No 19.6 3
20 Male 65 Yes 53.0 2
21 Male 64 Yes 18.4 1
22 Female 62 Yes 27.8 1
23 Female 63 No 33.4 2
24 Male 68 No 38.0 5
25 Male 67 Yes 37.6 5
26 Male 69 No 50.0 7
27 Female 68 Yes 44.3 4

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28 Female 66 No 36.7 3
29 Female 63 No 18.0 2
30 Male 64 Yes 63.2 2

Choose a QUANTITATIVE variable from the given data set. Construct a

quantitative grouped FDT for this variable. Also, construct a histogram for the data.
Use appropriate labels and titles for the table and graph. Describe the
characteristics of the units in the data set using a brief narrative report. Refer to
the FDT and histogram constructed.

References:
Book
Alfarez, M., Duro, MC., Alfarez, G. (2016). Statistics and Probability. MSA
Academic Advancement Institute (p13-p33).

E-Books
Licuanan, P., Albert, JR., Albacea Z VJ., Ayaay MJ., David, IP., De Mesa, I.,
tandang, N., …, Ortiz, R. (2016). General Mathematics. Commission on
Higher Education in collaboration with Philippine Normal University.
https://pdfcoffee.com/statistics-and-probability-tg-for-shspdf-pdf-free.html

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