In Section B, Unit 18 – and in this unit – we have discussed different ways to represent data. The data representation methods we have worked with include frequency tables and grouped frequency tables, line plots, bar charts, histograms, pie charts and stem and leaf plots.
It is often possible to represent data in many different ways, but we should consider carefully which representations work best for the data we are trying to represent.
The table below summarises what types of data can be represented and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of data representation.
Type of
representation Frequency table
Data type best displayed
● Categorical ● Numerical data ● ● ● Advantages
Easy to read and understand Easy to construct
Trends in data can be identified
●
Grouped frequency table
Line plot 3
●
Numerical continuous data
● Categorical ●
4 Bar chart 5
Numerical discrete data
● Categorical ●
Numerical discrete data
Comparisons can be made between data
●
Reduces large amount of data
● ● Easy to read Easy to construct ● ● ● ● Easy to read Easy to construct