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StatisticsExam Tips

Drawing Histograms: Step-by-Step

Part of Histograms — GCSE Mathematics

This exam tips covers Drawing Histograms: Step-by-Step within Histograms for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Histograms in Statistics for GCSE Mathematics with 14 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 8 of 9 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.

Topic position

Section 8 of 9

Practice

14 questions

Recall

12 flashcards

Drawing Histograms: Step-by-Step

  1. Organize Data: Create a frequency table with class intervals
  2. Calculate Class Widths: Find the width of each interval
  3. Calculate Frequency Density: Frequency ÷ Class Width for each interval
  4. Choose Scales: X-axis for class boundaries, Y-axis for frequency density
  5. Draw Bars: No gaps, height = frequency density, width = class width
  6. Label Everything: Axes, title, and include units

Common Exam Tips:

  • Always use frequency density, not frequency, on the y-axis
  • Check class boundaries carefully (inclusive/exclusive)
  • No gaps between bars (unlike bar charts)
  • Area of each bar equals the frequency
  • Use class midpoints for mean estimation

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Histograms. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Interpreting Histogram ShapesUsing Histograms for EstimationThe Data DetectiveKey Facts About Histograms

Practice Questions for Histograms

A histogram shows the heights (cm) of plants in a garden with the following frequency densities: - 0 =< h < 5: frequency density = 4 - 5 =< h < 15: frequency density = 3 - 15 =< h < 25: frequency density = 6 - 25 =< h < 40: frequency density = 2 What is the modal class?

  • A. 0 =< h < 5
  • B. 5 =< h < 15
  • C. 15 =< h < 25
  • D. 25 =< h < 40
1 markstandard

A histogram is drawn with unequal class widths. A student says: 'I can just use frequency on the y-axis instead of frequency density — the shape of the histogram will look the same.' Is the student correct? Explain your answer.

2 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

What is the modal class in a histogram?
The modal class is the class interval with the highest frequency density. It is the class represented by the tallest bar on the histogram. Note: If class widths are equal, the modal class also has the highest frequency.
What is a histogram?
A histogram is a statistical diagram used to display grouped continuous data. Key features: - Bars touch (no gaps) - y-axis shows frequency density - Area of each bar = frequency for that class

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Interpreting Histogram Shapes

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Using Histograms for Estimation