The term statistics is defined as the study of the collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. We use histograms, bar charts, bar graphs to represent data. A histogram is defined as a graphical representation of data distribution in statistics. The histogram is represented by a series of adjacent rectangles, with each bar representing a different type of data. Statistics is a branch of mathematics that is used in a variety of fields.
Uses of Histograms
Here are few uses of histograms –
1. Weather Predictions
Various meteorological departments all over the world record various climate parameters such as rainfall, snowfall, temperature, and so on, and histograms are used to study the variations between those parameters. This enables them to forecast similar events in the future, such as floods, droughts, storms, frosts, or snowfalls.
2. Disease Tracking
One of the most important stages of epidemiological research is the identification of the data with which the researcher is working, as well as a clear and synthetic description of these data using graphs and tables. When it comes to reviewing and displaying data related to an acute public health event, histograms are one of the most important tools in epidemiology. When dealing with a large amount of data, it is easier to create class intervals and sort the data accordingly. Age, blood pressure, body temperature, exposure time, and other mutually exclusive parameters may be included in the class interval.
Bar Chart
A bar chart is a statistical method for representing data that uses vertical and horizontal rectangular bars. It is essentially a graphical representation of data using horizontal or vertical bars of varying heights. In practice, bar graphs are mostly used in the business world.
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What is a Bar Chart?
A bar chart is defined as “a graphical representation of numerical data in the form of rectangles (or bars) of uniform width and varying heights.”They are also known as bar graphs. Bar charts are one of the methods of data handling in statistics.
- The bar charts are used to compare data from different groups.
- Bar charts depict relationships using 2 axes: one axis represents categories and the other axis represents discrete values.
- Bar charts show the major changes in available data over time.
Bar Chart Characteristics
A few characteristics that distinguish bar charts from other types of graphs are listed below:
- A bar chart’s rectangular bars can be drawn horizontally or vertically.
- Horizontal (or vertical) rectangular bars in a bar chart should have equal width and space between them.
- The height of the rectangular bars in a bar chart corresponds to the given data.
- The x-axis and the y-axis are the two axes of a bar chart.
- A bar chart has labels on the axes, a title, a scale, and the names of the axes.
Difference Between a Histogram & Bar Charts
- The bars in a bar graph are not adjacent to each other, this is the main visual distinction between histograms and bar graphs.
- A bar graph is a graphical representation of categorical data that employs rectangular bars of varying lengths proportional to the value represented.
- A histogram is a graphical representation of data that groups data into continuous number ranges, with each range represented by a vertical bar.
Key Takeaways
- A histogram is a data representation that looks like a bar graph and buckets a variety of outcomes into columns along the x-axis.
- The y-axis in a histogram represents the number of occurrences in the data for each column and can be used to visualise data distributions.
- Technical analysts use the MACD histogram in trading to indicate changes in momentum.
