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maramfaith24 · Feb 15, 2011, 12:07 PM

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.

maramfaith24 · Feb 15, 2011, 12:17 PM

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.

Unknown008 · Feb 15, 2011, 12:24 PM

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? :)