Chapter 2-2: Frequency Distributions

Assignments and due dates for each chapter are announced in class. Typical problems include:

2-2 page 48

2 to 24, even numbered problems

I describe a slightly different method of setting up classes, class width and frequency tables in SGnotes2. Use the method that suits you.

2-3 page 54

2 to 16, even numbered problems

Online students: Due to the difficulty of presenting graphs in the Discussion area, create the graph at home and present the frequency table in the Discussion area

2-4 page 66

2 to 24, even numbered problems.

For 8 and 10, construct frequency histograms (not ogive or dot plots).

Chapter 2-2: Frequency Distributions

Can you tell much about the ages of Academy Award winning actors & actresses by looking at Table 2-1 on page 41?

What is the approximate center of the data? the spread of the data? Are actresses mostly the same age or randomly distributed? Are the ages of actors different than actresses? or about the same?

To organize the data in Table 2-1, the first step is to define age groups, say intervals of 10 years, and count the number of ages in each 10 year interval. The intervals are called classes and the number of ages in that class is called the frequency of that class.

Data organized into a table of classes and frequencies is call a frequency distribution. With practice, interpreting a frequency distribution is much easier than interpreting Table 2-1