Ctrl+k

Create frequency tables

A frequency table organizes a set of categorical or discrete data by listing each possible category or value and recording how many observations belong to it, using counts or tally marks; the frequencies sum to the total number of data points. It supports comparing categories and answering questions about most, least, equal, and how many, without including relative frequencies, percentages, or grouped intervals.

Detailed Explanation: Create frequency tables

A frequency table shows how often each category or value appears in a set of data.

Follow these steps:

  1. List each different category.
  2. Read the data one item at a time.
  3. Add one tally mark to the matching category.
  4. Count the tally marks and write the frequency.
  5. Check that the frequencies add up to the total number of data points.

Example: These students chose their favorite fruit:

apple, banana, orange, apple, grape, banana, apple, orange, apple, banana, grape, apple\text{apple, banana, orange, apple, grape, banana, apple, orange, apple, banana, grape, apple}

First, list the different fruits: apple, banana, orange, and grape. Then count each one.

FruitTally marksFrequency
Apple`
Banana`
Orange`
Grape`

The slash in ||||/ completes a group of five tally marks.

Now check the total:

5+3+2+2=125+3+2+2=12

There are 12 data points in the list, so the frequency table is correct. Apple was chosen the most, and orange and grape were chosen equally often.

Learn by doing: Create frequency tables

Click a topic below to practice the foundational skills you'll need, learn the steps, or master this skill

    Practice with unlimited practice problems

    Graphing - Create Table from Data (Pictures)

      ?