How to
How to make a frequency table
A frequency table lists each value, answer or class of values with the number of times it occurs. It is the first step in describing a set of data, and the table behind every histogram and bar graph of counts.
- Paste your data. A column of numbers from a spreadsheet, a list of test scores, or survey answers one per line.
- Choose what to count. Numbers in classes groups numbers into ranges, Each number counts every distinct value, and Words or categories counts answers like colors or brands.
- Set the classes. Give a class width and a starting value, such as 10 from 50, or let a rule pick them.
- Pick the columns. Tally marks, relative frequency, cumulative frequency and midpoints are one tick each.
- Export. Download the table as PNG or SVG, copy it as CSV, Markdown, HTML or LaTeX, or open it as a chart.
How the classes are counted
For whole numbers with a whole-number width, classes are written the textbook way, 50 to 59 then 60 to 69, and a value belongs to the class whose range contains it. For decimals the classes are written as 50 to under 60, so 60 goes in the next class. The last class includes its upper end, so the largest value is always counted. The midpoint of 50 to 59 is 54.5 and the midpoint of 50 to under 60 is 55.
Relative and cumulative frequency
Relative frequency divides each count by the total: 6 out of 30 is 0.2, or 20%. Cumulative frequency adds the counts as you go down the table, so it answers questions like "how many students scored below 70?". Cumulative relative frequency does the same with the shares and ends at 100%. Rounded percents may not add up to exactly 100; the Total row shows the true total.
To see the shape of the data, open it in the histogram maker or, for categories, a bar graph. For a general table of any data, use the table maker.
Questions people ask
How do you make a frequency table?
List every value or answer once, count how many times each occurs, and write the count next to it. For numbers with many different values, group them first into classes of equal width, such as 50 to 59 and 60 to 69, and count per class. The counts must add up to the number of observations, which the Total row shows.
What is the difference between relative and cumulative frequency?
Relative frequency is a class's count divided by the total, so it shows the share of the data in that class, as a decimal or a percent. Cumulative frequency is a running total: the count of that class plus every class before it. The last cumulative frequency always equals the total number of observations.
Can I make a tally chart with this?
Yes. Keep the Tally marks column switched on and the table shows a tally for every row, drawn in groups of five with the fifth mark crossing the other four. Turn off the other columns for a plain tally chart, and download it as a PNG for a worksheet or an SVG for print.
Can I make a histogram from a frequency table?
Yes. Click Make a histogram of it and your numbers open in the histogram maker with the same class width and starting point, so the bars match the rows of this table. If you only have a frequency table and not the raw numbers, the histogram maker also accepts class intervals with their frequencies.