Question

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

Answer 1

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?

Answer 2

@hartnn
@CliffSedge

Answer 3

wait but what is the whole problem?

Answer 4

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

Answer 5

first did u order the inputs?

Answer 6

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

Answer 7

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

Answer 8

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

Answer 9

from the date u r given it looks like x_max=43 and x_min=0

am i right?

Answer 10

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

Answer 11

u have a set of 55 numbers.
right?

Answer 12

sorry i lost internet connection

Answer 13

yep it's 55 numbers

Answer 14

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

Answer 15

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

Answer 16

can be rounded up to 5.4

Answer 17

so let's say 5

Answer 18

do u have to have integer class limits?

Answer 19

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

Answer 20

I'm honestly not sure

Answer 21

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

Answer 22

this is what I had done manually

Answer 23

I just followed an example in the book

Answer 24

it s great

Answer 25

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

Answer 26

by hand or with the computer

Answer 27

I'm trying to use excel

Answer 28

@hartnn

Answer 29

and what are bins?

Answer 30

i don't know?

Answer 31

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

Answer 32

@satellite73

Answer 33

have u tried using excel's help?

Answer 34

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

Answer 35

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

Answer 36

http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/50785d74e4b0ed1dac50e148-jennifersmart1-1350065660892-screenshot20121012at1.10.44pm.png

Answer 37

" 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?

Answer 38

your bins does not have equal size....

Answer 39

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

Answer 40

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

Answer 41

should I have them 5 sizes apart or six?

Answer 42

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

Answer 43

5th box from the top

Answer 44

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

Answer 45

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

Answer 46

and n=9 , whats n?

Answer 47

that one I can attach it again

Answer 48

http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/50785d74e4b0ed1dac50e148-jennifersmart1-1350073889192-screenshot20121012at3.30.01pm.png
http://assets.openstudy.com/updates/attachments/50785d74e4b0ed1dac50e148-jennifersmart1-1350073888766-screenshot20121012at3.29.47pm.png

Answer 49

why is n=9 where is n?

Answer 50

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

Answer 51

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

Answer 52

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

Answer 53

ok

Answer 54

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

Answer 55

0-5.5*

Answer 56

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

Answer 57

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

Answer 58

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"

Answer 59

wikihow could be wrong though

Answer 60

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

Answer 61

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

Answer 62

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

Answer 63

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

Answer 64

sure I will...then what's next

Answer 65

my excel doesn't even have data analysis button

Answer 66

is there another way to make the histogram?

Answer 67

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

Answer 68

what popped up when u selected data analysis ?

Answer 69

was there an option of histogram ?

Answer 70

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

Answer 71

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

Answer 72

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

Answer 73

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

Answer 74

I guess I don't have that

Answer 75

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

Answer 76

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

Answer 77

I think I downloaded it !

Answer 78

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....

Answer 79

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

Answer 80

that screenshot above is of the statplus instructions

Answer 81

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

Answer 82

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

Answer 83

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

Answer 84

oh my god look at that!