A frequency table organizes a set of categorical or discrete numerical data by listing each category or value and the number of observations belonging to it, using tally marks or numerals to represent frequencies. The frequencies should account for every data point exactly once, and their sum should equal the total number of observations; the table supports comparing categories and constructing or interpreting bar graphs, without extending to grouped intervals or relative frequencies.
A frequency table shows each category or number and how many times it appears.
Example: A class recorded its favorite fruit:
Apple, Banana, Apple, Orange, Banana, Apple, Grape, Orange, Banana, Apple, Grape, Banana
Step 1: List each different category once.
The categories are Apple, Banana, Grape, and Orange.
Step 2: Go through the data and make one tally mark each time a category appears.
| Fruit | Tally marks | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | ` | |
| Banana | ` | |
| Grape | ` | |
| Orange | ` |
Step 3: Check the table.
Add the frequencies:
There are 12 fruit choices in the list, so every data point was counted exactly once. The frequency table is complete.
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