I'm working on an assignment about Data Sets, I need to know what a frequency table is and what one advantage is and one disadvantage.

I'm working on an assignment about Data Sets, I need to know what a frequency table is and what one advantage is and one disadvantage.

It will depend on whether the data you use is grouped or not.

A frequency table is basically a table for the display of data. There is a heading for the range of the data, and a frequency column (hence the name frequency table) which gives the number of occurrences of each set of data.

Take this example:
\begin{array}{|l|c|} \\ \hline
\text{Leaf colour} & \text{frequency} \\ \hline
Red & 5 \\ \hline
Green & 10 \\ \hline
Yellow & 12 \\ \hline
Brown & 11 \\ \hline
Orange & 9 \\ \hline
\end{array}

This frequency table shows the number of leaves of each colour which fell during an hour in autumn. 5 means that 5 red leaves fell.

Now this table is one where you have distinct data. What about...

\begin{array}{|l|c|} \\ \hline
\text{Apple mass/g} & \text{frequency} \\ \hline
450 < x \leq 460 & 5 \\ \hline
460 < x \leq 470 & 10 \\ \hline
470 < x \leq 480 & 12 \\ \hline
480 < x \leq 490 & 11 \\ \hline
490 < x \leq 500 & 9 \\ \hline
\end{array}

Here you have grouped data, meaning you lost details. You have 5 apples with a mass between 450 and 460 g, but you don't know their exact mass.

Can you now think of an advantage? :)