HISTOGRAMS

[Link Map]
begin comments text sound
line

Histograms of data series can be created using the Analysis ToolPak's Histogram tool. Data is grouped into intervals (known as bins) and the number of observations that fall into each are displayed both in a table and, graphically, as a histogram.

Using the potato data select Tools > Data Analysis... > Histogram... from the menu bar and a dialog box will appear. Insert the input range by either entering the reference by keyboard or highlighting the input range on the worksheet. Tick the label box if labels are included in the input range.

Set up the ranges for the histogram divisions (e.g. a column of numbers starting at 50 and going up in steps of 50) and enter the reference for the bin range. If cells E2=50,E3=100,...E11=500, then the reference given is $E$2:$E$11. If this box is left empty Excel will generate a default range. Define where you want the output to appear by entering the cell reference of the top left corner of where you want it to go.

Tick the chart output box to obtain the histogram and click on the OK button when you have finished. The histogram for the variable weight could look like the one on the right, after you have stretched it vertically.

Below is the output generated by the Histogram tool for the weight data using a step-size of 25 instead of 50 as in the previous graph.

output

line
Basic statistics in Excel   23.2.99   Page: 6 of 25.