FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION

Frequency distribution: Frequency distribution is a systematic presentation of the values taken by a

variable along with their frequencies.

Frequency: Frequency refers to the number of times an observation repeated.

Class Frequency: The number of observations corresponding to a particular class is known as Class
Frequency.

Frequency Table: A tabular presentation of frequency distribution is called Frequency Table.

Raw Data: A group of data in its original forms is called raw data. It is an unorganised data.
Example: Consider marks obtained by 10 students in a class.
9, 10, 4, 5, 8, 10, 7, 6, 5, 9.

Array: The raw data can be arranged in ascending or descending order. This sort of arrangement is
called array.
Example: The marks after arranging in ascending order are, as given below:
4 ,5 ,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10.

Discrete Frequency Distribution: while framing a frequency distribution, if the class intervals are not
considered, it is called discrete frequency distribution.
Example: The Number of families according to number of children.
No. of children 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
No. of families 10 40 80 100 250 150 50 680

Continuous Frequency Distribution: While framing a frequency distribution, if the class intervals are
considered, it is called continuous frequency distribution.
Example: The Weights (in Kgs) of students.
Weights (in kgs) 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 Total
No. of Students 10 15 40 45 20 130

Range: It is the difference between highest value and lowest value in the data.
Range = H.V L.V

Classes or class intervals: The range of variables can be divided into sub-groups or sub-ranges called
classes or class intervals.

Types of Class Intervals:

Exclusive class intervals: Here, the upper limit of a class is the same as lower limits of the next class.
Example: (0-10) (10-20) (20-30) etc,.

Inclusive Class Interval: Here, the upper limit of a class is not equal to the lower limit of the next
class.
Example: (0-9) (10-19) (20-29) etc,.

Open End Class Interval: A class which does not have either the upper limit or the lower limit is
called an open-end class.
Example: Below 10, 10-20, 20-30, 30and above

Class Limits: The lowest and the highest values which are taken to define the boundaries of a class are
class limits. The lowest value is called lower limit (L.L) and the highest value is upper limit (U.L).
Example: (30-40) (40-50) .. are class limits.
30,40..are lower limits
40, 50 are upper limits
Class marks or mid-point of a class: The Central value of a class is called mid-point or class mark. It
is the average of class limits.
Example: Mid-point of the class (10-20) is
Mid point = Lower Limit +Upper Limit = 10+20 = 15
2 2

Width of the class intervals: The difference between lower and upper class limits is called width or
magnitude of the class interval. It is denoted by c or i.
Example: width of the class interval (30-40) is 40-30 = 10.

Cumulative frequency: Cumulative frequency is defined as a running total of frequencies. Cumulative

frequency can also defined as the sum of all previous frequencies up to the current point.
There are two types of Cumulative frequencies

Less than cumulative frequency

More than cumulative frequenct