## JenniferSmart1 2 years ago Statistics: I'm trying to find what my "bins" are. (what are bins?) I'm having trouble with solver. see attachments and comments below.

1. JenniferSmart1

2. JenniferSmart1

I'm trying to make a histogram and according to this link I have to have bins http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Histogram-in-Excel how would I do that? I know what my lower and upper bounds are. Are those my bins?

3. JenniferSmart1

@hartnn @CliffSedge

4. samtab

wait but what is the whole problem?

5. JenniferSmart1

oh I'll attach it. I completed a and b already. c is the problem child

6. helder_edwin

first did u order the inputs?

7. JenniferSmart1

are inputs my data values? I'm kinda new to the terminology. They're in column A

8. helder_edwin

yes. sorry. then finde the difference between x_max-x_min=range

9. JenniferSmart1

I'm not sure what my xmax and xmins are do you mean the difference between my lower and upper bounds? http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/50785d74e4b0ed1dac50e148-jennifersmart1-1350065660892-screenshot20121012at1.10.44pm.png

10. helder_edwin

from the date u r given it looks like x_max=43 and x_min=0 am i right?

11. JenniferSmart1

the right hand side is just a random example. The values are not specific to the problem that i'm doing

12. helder_edwin

u have a set of 55 numbers. right?

13. JenniferSmart1

sorry i lost internet connection

14. JenniferSmart1

yep it's 55 numbers

15. helder_edwin

well the idea is that class range is x_max-x-min divided by the number of classes.

16. helder_edwin

u get a class with equal to $\large \frac{43-0}{8}=5.375$

17. helder_edwin

can be rounded up to 5.4

18. JenniferSmart1

so let's say 5

19. helder_edwin

do u have to have integer class limits?

20. JenniferSmart1

5.4 works too by classes do you mean the...what do we mean by class

21. JenniferSmart1

I'm honestly not sure

22. JenniferSmart1

it's just intro to stats and it's algebra based. I don't think they want us to do anything too fancy.

23. JenniferSmart1

this is what I had done manually

24. JenniferSmart1

I just followed an example in the book

25. helder_edwin

it s great

26. JenniferSmart1

but how do I make a histogram though that's where I'm having trouble

27. helder_edwin

by hand or with the computer

28. JenniferSmart1

I'm trying to use excel

29. JenniferSmart1

@hartnn

30. JenniferSmart1

and what are bins?

31. helder_edwin

i don't know?

32. JenniferSmart1

I tried using this website but I can't really follow it http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Histogram-in-Excel

33. JenniferSmart1

@satellite73

34. helder_edwin

have u tried using excel's help?

35. hartnn

bins are just ranges of x-axis, like to construct a histogram from a continuous variable you first need to split the data into intervals, called bins. so here your bins are 0-5.5, 5.5-11.5....... and u have 8 bins in total

36. JenniferSmart1

so my bins would be my class boundaries. I labeled the upper and lower bounds

37. JenniferSmart1
38. JenniferSmart1

" if you want to separate grades based on a 10 point scale 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 would be the bins" So I guess I'm using a 5 point scale and my bins would be....0, 5.5, 11.5...no?

39. hartnn

your bins does not have equal size....

40. hartnn

0-5.5 --->5.5 5.5-11.5--->6 all others are 6

41. JenniferSmart1

I don't know anymore. I thought they have to be separated by 5...ooops I thought I had them spaced equally :S

42. JenniferSmart1

should I have them 5 sizes apart or six?

43. hartnn

where is the original question ? is it above 'Excel 2007' ??

44. JenniferSmart1

5th box from the top

45. hartnn

the one with min=20.5 and max<30.5 ??

46. JenniferSmart1

"oh I'll attach it. I completed a and b already. c is the problem child"

47. hartnn

and n=9 , whats n?

48. JenniferSmart1

that one I can attach it again

49. JenniferSmart1
50. JenniferSmart1

why is n=9 where is n?

51. hartnn

i am going though it, so u have 8 classes. how did u find class width ?

52. JenniferSmart1

$\frac{\text{Largest data value-smallest data value}}{\text{Desired number of classes}}$

53. hartnn

0 to 43 = 44 so 44/8 = 5.5 like this ?

54. hartnn

ok

55. hartnn

so the bins are : 0/5.5 5.5 -11 11=16.5 and so on

56. hartnn

0-5.5*

57. JenniferSmart1

43/8=5.375 so I rounded it ...yes that's what I did...

58. hartnn

so u need to change your bins to 0-5.5, 5.5-11 , and so on..

59. JenniferSmart1

is a bin a range or a specific number? From the way they've written it's kinda confusing "if you want to separate grades based on a 10 point scale 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 would be the bins"

60. JenniferSmart1

wikihow could be wrong though

61. hartnn

a bin is an interval : 1st bin: 0-5.5 2nd bin: 5.5-11 so bin is range

62. hartnn

bin is not a number bin size or width is a number = class width

63. JenniferSmart1

ok so how do we proceed...the data analysis toolbox is confusing, I don't even know where to start http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/50785d74e4b0ed1dac50e148-jennifersmart1-1350065660892-screenshot20121012at1.10.44pm.png

64. hartnn

but u need to change bins , right to 0-5.5, 5.5-11 , 11-16.5 , and so on

65. JenniferSmart1

sure I will...then what's next

66. hartnn

my excel doesn't even have data analysis button

67. JenniferSmart1

is there another way to make the histogram?

68. JenniferSmart1

I honestly don't know. I'm just googling histogram and excel because i've never done this before in excel

69. hartnn

what popped up when u selected data analysis ?

70. hartnn

was there an option of histogram ?

71. JenniferSmart1

that "solver" window It reads "solver parameter" in the attachment

72. hartnn

strange, u shouldn't get solver window ....... u should get options like input range, bin range... http://www.math.kent.edu/~honli/teaching/statistics/Chapter2/Excell_Histogram.html

73. JenniferSmart1

sorry I lost internet connection...but I'm back

74. hartnn

75. hartnn

i don't know where u clicked, but u should get that^ when u click data analysis tab

76. JenniferSmart1

I guess I don't have that

77. JenniferSmart1

solver is a different add on. I guess I have to find this correct one. For whatever reason the mac 2011 version doesn't have that

78. hartnn

then u need to install the add-in : Analysis Toolpack

79. JenniferSmart1

80. hartnn

idk anything about MAC. try to Find 'Excel Options' and there u get Add-in tab, which has Analysis Toolbox option. maybe its will be in the dropdown list of settings besides ^ on upper right....

81. JenniferSmart1

I just need to follow the instructions in the above attachment. (two boxes up) which I don't seem to be able to do

82. JenniferSmart1

that screenshot above is of the statplus instructions

83. hartnn

try this reference http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914208

84. JenniferSmart1

I think I have what I need. I just need to be able to follow the instructions I guess

85. JenniferSmart1

I'm starting to hate this MAC....(not really ;P , but it's really annoying because everything is soo different)

86. JenniferSmart1

oh my god look at that!