Tables and Graphs To Describe Categorical Variables

 We can describe categorical variables using frequency distribution tables and graphs such as bar charts, pie charts, and Pareto diagrams. These graphs are commonly used by managers and marketing researchers to describe data collected from surveys and questionnaires.

Frequency Distribution

A frequency distribution is a table used to organize data. The left column (called classes or groups) includes all possible responses on a variable being studied. The right column is a list of the frequencies, or number of observations, for each class.

Example: Central Florida’s Top Company Employers.
What companies were the top employers in central Florida in 2003?

Solution: The Orlando Sentinel annually lists the top employers in central Florida. Table 4 is a frequency distribution of the five companies with the largest number of employees in this area.

Table 7: Central Florida’s 2003 Top Employers

Company	Number of Employees
Disney World	51,600
Florida Hospital	19,283
Public Supermarkets Inc.	15,325
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.	14,995
Universal Orlando	12,000