2.5: Percentage Frequency Distribution

A percentage frequency distribution, in general, is a display of data that indicates the percentage of observations for each data point or grouping of data points. It is a commonly used method for expressing the relative frequency of survey responses and other data. The percentage frequency distributions are often displayed as bar graphs, pie charts, or tables.

The process of making a percentage frequency distribution involves the following few steps: note the total number of observations; count the total number of observations within each data point or grouping of data points; and finally, divide the total observations within each data point or grouping of data points by the total number of observations. However, it is to be noted that whenever the percentage frequencies are used in the relative frequency distribution, it is also sometimes termed as percentage frequency distribution.

Consider a relative frequency distribution table of hockey players with different heights. This table provides information about the fraction, or proportion, of data values under each class.

If this relative frequency is expressed in terms of percentage, it is called the percentage frequency distribution.

Suppose one is interested in the percentage of players with heights between 152 and 157 centimeters. To find out, multiply the corresponding relative frequency with 100 to get the percentage frequency. This indicates that 5 percent of players fall within the required height range.

Repeat the similar calculation for all the other relative frequencies to obtain the percentage frequencies under each class. Generally, the sum of all the percentage frequencies is equal to 100.