Frequency Tables
Frequency tables organise raw data into categories or class intervals for analysis. Students must construct tables, calculate totals, and use them to find averages and draw statistical diagrams.
What You'll Learn
- Constructing frequency tables from raw data
- Choosing appropriate class intervals for grouped data
- Calculating averages from frequency tables
- Using two-way tables to find missing frequencies
Watch Out For These Mistakes
Students make these errors again and again. Knowing them in advance gives you a head start.
Creating overlapping class intervals (e.g., 10-20, 20-30 instead of 10-19, 20-29)
Forgetting to multiply frequency by value before summing for the mean
Misreading the question about whether to use upper, lower or midpoint values
What Examiners Say About Frequency Tables
Insights pulled from Cambridge IGCSE (0580) examiner reports — the exact mistakes candidates make every year.
- Common Mistake●●●●●
In probability without replacement, the denominator DECREASES by 1 for each subsequent pick (13 → 12 → 11...). Getting 104/169 instead of the correct answer usually means you forgot this.
Source: CIE 0580 · Feb/March 2024 · Paper 2 · Q25
- Common Mistake●●●●●
For 'exactly one green button' out of two picks, there are TWO orderings: green-then-not OR not-then-green. Calculate one product and DOUBLE it (or add both products).
Source: CIE 0580 · May/June 2023 · Paper 4 · Q15
- Technique●●●●●
In a histogram, bar HEIGHT = frequency density (frequency ÷ class width). Find the scale using a bar whose frequency AND width you know, then apply it to the others.
Source: CIE 0580 · Feb/March 2022 · Paper 4 · Q5b
Based on 3of 500+ insights extracted from CIE 0580 examiner reports (2018–2024).
Exam Coverage
This topic appears in the Cambridge IGCSE past papers. Our AI tutor can help with it on any question.
Useful for this topic:
Related Topics
Mean, Median and Mode
Averages are fundamental to data analysis. Students must calculate mean, median, mode and range from raw data, frequency tables and grouped data, and understand which average is most appropriate in different contexts.
Histograms
Histograms display continuous grouped data using bars whose area (not height) represents frequency. This topic requires students to calculate frequency density and interpret histograms with unequal class widths.
Cumulative Frequency
Cumulative frequency diagrams show running totals and are used to estimate the median, quartiles and interquartile range. Students draw the characteristic S-shaped curve and read off values at key percentile positions.
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Worked examples and data interpretation guides