A simple frequency table pairs each category with the number of times it occurs, enabling interpretation of counts for familiar data sets with a small number of categories and whole-number frequencies. The learner can identify how many are in a category, compare categories using more, fewer, or the same number, and determine a total by combining frequencies; percentages, relative frequency, and multi-way tables are beyond this level.
A frequency table tells how many times each category appears.
Look at the category in the first column. Then look across to find its frequency, or how many.
| Favorite pet | Number of students |
|---|---|
| Cat | 4 |
| Dog | 6 |
| Fish | 2 |
Example questions:
How many students chose cats?
Find “Cat” in the table. The number next to it is .
Answer: 4 students
Which pet was chosen by more students: dogs or fish?
Dogs have students, and fish have students. Since is more than , dogs were chosen by more students.
Answer: Dogs
How many students are there altogether?
Add all the frequencies:
Answer: 12 students
Remember: Read the category first, find its number, and compare or add the numbers when asked.
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