
Creating A Grouped Frequency Distribution
(A worked Problem: Procedure explained in more detail
in Chapter 2)
Problem: Create a grouped frequency distribution for the following 15 scores:
46, 48, 54, 58, 59, 64, 65, 77, 77, 79, 84, 89, 89, 91, 97
I. Compute the Range
Range = 97 - 46 = 51
II. Choose an interval size ( i )
i = 5
III. Check that the number of intervals is between 10 and 20
Number of class intervals = Range / i
Number of class intervals = 51 / 5 = 10.2
(This will give about 11 class intervals)
IV. Create the Apparent Limits (see class intervals a worked problem)
Real Lim |
App Lim |
Freq |
Mid Pt |
Rel F |
Cum F |
C R F |
Cum % |
95 - 99 |
|||||||
90 - 94 |
|||||||
85 - 89 |
|||||||
80 - 84 |
|||||||
75 - 79 |
|||||||
70 - 74 |
|||||||
65 - 69 |
|||||||
60 - 64 |
|||||||
55 - 59 |
|||||||
50 - 54 |
|||||||
45 - 49 |
V. Create the Real Limits
URL = UAL + .5 units
LRL = LAL - .5 units
Real Lim |
App Lim |
Freq |
Mid Pt |
Rel F |
Cum F |
C R F |
Cum % |
94.5 - 99.5 |
95 - 99 |
||||||
89.5 - 94.5 |
90 - 94 |
||||||
84.5 - 89.5 |
85 - 89 |
||||||
79.5 - 84.5 |
80 - 84 |
||||||
74.5 - 79.5 |
75 - 79 |
||||||
69.5 - 74.5 |
70 - 74 |
||||||
64.5 - 69.5 |
65 - 69 |
||||||
59.5 - 64.5 |
60 - 64 |
||||||
54.5 - 59.5 |
55 - 59 |
||||||
49.5 - 54.5 |
50 - 54 |
||||||
44.5 - 49.5 |
45 - 49 |
VI. Tally the Frequencies
Real Lim |
App Lim |
Freq |
Mid Pt |
Rel F |
Cum F |
C R F |
Cum % |
94.5 - 99.5 |
95 - 99 |
1 |
|||||
89.5 - 94.5 |
90 - 94 |
1 |
|||||
84.5 - 89.5 |
85 - 89 |
2 |
|||||
79.5 - 84.5 |
80 - 84 |
1 |
|||||
74.5 - 79.5 |
75 - 79 |
3 |
|||||
69.5 - 74.5 |
70 - 74 |
0 |
|||||
64.5 - 69.5 |
65 - 69 |
1 |
|||||
59.5 - 64.5 |
60 - 64 |
1 |
|||||
54.5 - 59.5 |
55 - 59 |
2 |
|||||
49.5 - 54.5 |
50 - 54 |
1 |
|||||
44.5 - 49.5 |
45 - 49 |
2 |
Remember: The sum of the frequencies = n
VII. Compute the Midpoints
![]()
Real Lim |
App Lim |
Freq |
Mid Pt |
Rel F |
Cum F |
C R F |
Cum % |
94.5 - 99.5 |
95 - 99 |
1 |
97 |
||||
89.5 - 94.5 |
90 - 94 |
1 |
92 |
||||
84.5 - 89.5 |
85 - 89 |
2 |
87 |
||||
79.5 - 84.5 |
80 - 84 |
1 |
82 |
||||
74.5 - 79.5 |
75 - 79 |
3 |
77 |
||||
69.5 - 74.5 |
70 - 74 |
0 |
72 |
||||
64.5 - 69.5 |
65 - 69 |
1 |
67 |
||||
59.5 - 64.5 |
60 - 64 |
1 |
62 |
||||
54.5 - 59.5 |
55 - 59 |
2 |
57 |
||||
49.5 - 54.5 |
50 - 54 |
1 |
52 |
||||
44.5 - 49.5 |
45 - 49 |
2 |
47 |
VIII. Compute Relative Frequency
![]()
n = number of scores = 15
Real Lim |
App Lim |
Freq |
Mid Pt |
Rel F |
Cum F |
C R F |
Cum % |
94.5 - 99.5 |
95 - 99 |
1 |
97 |
.067 |
|||
89.5 - 94.5 |
90 - 94 |
1 |
92 |
.067 |
|||
84.5 - 89.5 |
85 - 89 |
2 |
87 |
.133 |
|||
79.5 - 84.5 |
80 - 84 |
1 |
82 |
.067 |
|||
74.5 - 79.5 |
75 - 79 |
3 |
77 |
.200 |
|||
69.5 - 74.5 |
70 - 74 |
0 |
72 |
.000 |
|||
64.5 - 69.5 |
65 - 69 |
1 |
67 |
.067 |
|||
59.5 - 64.5 |
60 - 64 |
1 |
62 |
.067 |
|||
54.5 - 59.5 |
55 - 59 |
2 |
57 |
.133 |
|||
49.5 - 54.5 |
50 - 54 |
1 |
52 |
.067 |
|||
44.5 - 49.5 |
45 - 49 |
2 |
47 |
.133 |
Remember: The sum of the relative frequencies = 1
(Slight differences might occure because of round off error.)
IX. Find the Cumulative frequencies
Add the frequencies from the bottom
Real Lim |
App Lim |
Freq |
Mid Pt |
Rel F |
Cum F |
C R F |
Cum % |
94.5 - 99.5 |
95 - 99 |
1 |
97 |
.067 |
15 |
||
89.5 - 94.5 |
90 - 94 |
1 |
92 |
.067 |
14 |
||
84.5 - 89.5 |
85 - 89 |
2 |
87 |
.133 |
13 |
||
79.5 - 84.5 |
80 - 84 |
1 |
82 |
.067 |
11 |
||
74.5 - 79.5 |
75 - 79 |
3 |
77 |
.200 |
10 |
||
69.5 - 74.5 |
70 - 74 |
0 |
72 |
.000 |
7 |
||
64.5 - 69.5 |
65 - 69 |
1 |
67 |
.067 |
7 |
||
59.5 - 64.5 |
60 - 64 |
1 |
62 |
.067 |
6 |
||
54.5 - 59.5 |
55 - 59 |
2 |
57 |
.133 |
5 |
||
49.5 - 54.5 |
50 - 54 |
1 |
52 |
.067 |
3 |
||
44.5 - 49.5 |
45 - 49 |
2 |
47 |
.133 |
2 |
Remember: The Cumulative Frequency in the highest interval = n
X. Compute Cumulative Relative Frequency
![]()
Real Lim |
App Lim |
Freq |
Mid Pt |
Rel F |
Cum F |
C R F |
Cum % |
94.5 - 99.5 |
95 - 99 |
1 |
97 |
.067 |
15 |
1.000 |
|
89.5 - 94.5 |
90 - 94 |
1 |
92 |
.067 |
14 |
.933 |
|
84.5 - 89.5 |
85 - 89 |
2 |
87 |
.133 |
13 |
.867 |
|
79.5 - 84.5 |
80 - 84 |
1 |
82 |
.067 |
11 |
.733 |
|
74.5 - 79.5 |
75 - 79 |
3 |
77 |
.200 |
10 |
.667 |
|
69.5 - 74.5 |
70 - 74 |
0 |
72 |
.000 |
7 |
.467 |
|
64.5 - 69.5 |
65 - 69 |
1 |
67 |
.067 |
7 |
.467 |
|
59.5 - 64.5 |
60 - 64 |
1 |
62 |
.067 |
6 |
.400 |
|
54.5 - 59.5 |
55 - 59 |
2 |
57 |
.133 |
5 |
.333 |
|
49.5 - 54.5 |
50 - 54 |
1 |
52 |
.067 |
3 |
.200 |
|
44.5 - 49.5 |
45 - 49 |
2 |
47 |
.133 |
2 |
.133 |
XI. Compute Cumulative Percent
![]()
Real Lim |
App Lim |
Freq |
Mid Pt |
Rel F |
Cum F |
C R F |
Cum % |
94.5 - 99.5 |
95 - 99 |
1 |
97 |
.067 |
15 |
1.000 |
100 |
89.5 - 94.5 |
90 - 94 |
1 |
92 |
.067 |
14 |
.933 |
93.3 |
84.5 - 89.5 |
85 - 89 |
2 |
87 |
.133 |
13 |
.867 |
86.7 |
79.5 - 84.5 |
80 - 84 |
1 |
82 |
.067 |
11 |
.733 |
73.3 |
74.5 - 79.5 |
75 - 79 |
3 |
77 |
.200 |
10 |
.667 |
66.7 |
69.5 - 74.5 |
70 - 74 |
0 |
72 |
.000 |
7 |
.467 |
46.7 |
64.5 - 69.5 |
65 - 69 |
1 |
67 |
.067 |
7 |
.467 |
46.7 |
59.5 - 64.5 |
60 - 64 |
1 |
62 |
.067 |
6 |
.400 |
40.0 |
54.5 - 59.5 |
55 - 59 |
2 |
57 |
.133 |
5 |
.333 |
33.3 |
49.5 - 54.5 |
50 - 54 |
1 |
52 |
.067 |
3 |
.200 |
20.0 |
44.5 - 49.5 |
45 - 49 |
2 |
47 |
.133 |
2 |
.133 |
13.3 |
XII. Visual Summary: Creating a Grouped Frequency Distribution
Copyright © 2004 by Mark W. Vernoy