Histogram

Definition

A histogram is a graphical representation of data using bars of different heights. Each bar groups numbers into ranges and the height of each bar shows how many fall into each range.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Histograms are used to display the distribution of a dataset.
2. The x-axis represents the bins or intervals, while the y-axis represents frequency.
3. Bins need to be of equal width for an accurate representation.
4. Histograms can help identify patterns such as skewness, modality, and outliers.
5. Unlike bar charts, histograms do not have gaps between the bars unless there are empty bins.

Review Questions

• What is the primary purpose of a histogram in data analysis?
• How do you determine the number of bins to use in a histogram?
• What key differences distinguish histograms from bar charts?

Related terms

Frequency Distribution: A summary that shows how frequently each value occurs within a dataset.

Bar Chart: A chart that presents categorical data with rectangular bars, where each category is represented by one bar.

Skewness: A measure of asymmetry in the distribution of data; it can be positive or negative.