Create a Frequency Table

Create a Frequency Table

A frequency table summarizes how often each value appears in a data set. The goal is to list the possible values or categories and count their occurrences accurately.

Method

1. Read the data carefully. Scan the full list once before counting so you know what values appear.
2. List the distinct values. Write each different value or category once.
3. Count each occurrence. Go through the data and tally how many times each value appears. Use tally marks if helpful.
4. Write the frequency. Replace the tallies with the final count for each value.
5. Check the total. Add all frequencies. The sum should match the number of data points in the original set.

Good habits

• Keep the values in order if possible, especially for numbers.
• Be careful not to count any value twice or skip one.
• If the data includes repeated entries, tallies can make counting easier and reduce mistakes.

Quick check

After finishing, verify that every item in the original list is represented exactly once in the table and that the total frequency equals the size of the data set. If these do not match, recount the data.