Table of contents
- 1. Intro to Stats and Collecting Data24m
- 2. Describing Data with Tables and Graphs1h 55m
- 3. Describing Data Numerically53m
- 4. Probability1h 29m
- 5. Binomial Distribution & Discrete Random Variables1h 16m
- 6. Normal Distribution and Continuous Random Variables58m
- 7. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Mean1h 3m
- 8. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Proportion1h 5m
- 9. Hypothesis Testing for One Sample1h 1m
- 10. Hypothesis Testing for Two Samples2h 8m
- 11. Correlation48m
2. Describing Data with Tables and Graphs
Histograms
Problem 2.2.9
Textbook Question
In Exercises 9–18, construct the histograms and answer the given questions.
Chicago Commute Time Use the frequency distribution from Exercise 13 in Section 2-1 to construct a histogram. Does it appear to be the graph of data from a population with a normal distribution?

1
Step 1: Review the frequency distribution provided in Exercise 13 of Section 2-1. Identify the class intervals (bins) and their corresponding frequencies. These will form the basis for constructing the histogram.
Step 2: On graph paper or using statistical software, label the x-axis with the class intervals (e.g., commute time ranges) and the y-axis with the frequencies. Ensure the axes are properly scaled to accommodate the data.
Step 3: For each class interval, draw a bar whose height corresponds to the frequency of that interval. Ensure the bars are adjacent to each other with no gaps, as histograms represent continuous data.
Step 4: Analyze the shape of the histogram. Look for characteristics such as symmetry, skewness, or the presence of a bell-shaped curve, which are indicative of a normal distribution.
Step 5: Conclude whether the histogram suggests that the data comes from a population with a normal distribution. A normal distribution typically has a symmetric, bell-shaped curve with most data concentrated around the mean and tapering off at the extremes.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Histogram
A histogram is a graphical representation of the distribution of numerical data, where the data is divided into intervals (bins) and the frequency of data points within each interval is represented by the height of bars. It helps visualize the shape, central tendency, and variability of the data, making it easier to identify patterns such as skewness or modality.
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Normal Distribution
Normal distribution, often referred to as a bell curve, is a probability distribution that is symmetric about the mean, indicating that data near the mean are more frequent in occurrence than data far from the mean. In a normal distribution, approximately 68% of the data falls within one standard deviation of the mean, which is crucial for understanding the spread and likelihood of data points.
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Frequency Distribution
A frequency distribution is a summary of how often each value occurs in a dataset. It organizes data into categories or intervals, allowing for easy analysis of the data's distribution. This foundational concept is essential for constructing histograms, as it provides the necessary counts for each bin that will be visually represented in the histogram.
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