KB189519 - XL98: How to Use the Histogram Add-In

Article ID: 189519

Article Last Modified on 9/11/2002

Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

This article was previously published under Q189519

SUMMARY

The Analysis ToolPak that ships with Microsoft Excel includes a Histogram tool. This article describes how to create a histogram with a chart from a sample set of data.

MORE INFORMATION

Installing the Analysis ToolPak

Before using the Histogram tool, you need to make sure the Analysis ToolPak Add-in is loaded. To verify whether the Analysis ToolPak is loaded, follow these steps:

On the Tools menu, click Add-Ins.
In the Add-Ins dialog box, make sure the Analysis ToolPak check box under Add-Ins Available is selected. Click OK.

NOTE: In order for the Analysis ToolPak to be shown in the Add-Ins dialog box, it must be installed on your computer. If you do not see Analysis ToolPak in the Add-Ins dialog box, follow these steps:

Quit Microsoft Excel.
Start Microsoft Office Installer in the Office Custom Install folder on the Microsoft Office 98 CD-ROM.
In the list that is currently set to Easy Install, click Custom Install.
In the dialog box, click to clear all check boxes.
Click the triangle next to the Microsoft Excel component.
Click the triangle next to the Add-Ins component.
Click to select Analysis ToolPak, and click Install.
Click Quit when the Installer is finished.

Creating a Histogram

Enter the following in a new worksheet:

    A1:  87      B1: 20
    A2:  27      B2: 40
    A3:  45      B3: 60
    A4:  62      B4: 80
    A5:   3      B5:
    A6:  52      B6:
    A7:  20      B7:
    A8:  43      B8:
    A9:  74      B9:
   A10:  61     B10:

On the Tools menu, click Data Analysis. In the Data Analysis dialog box, click Histogram, and then click OK.
In the Input Range box, type A1:A10.
In the Bin Range box, type B1:B4.
Under Output Options, click New Workbook and click to select the Chart Output check box, and then click OK.

A new workbook, with a Histogram table and an embedded chart, is generated. Based on the sample data from step 1, the Histogram table will look like the following

   A1: Bin     B1: Frequency
   A2:  20     B2:        2
   A3:  40     B3:        1
   A4:  60     B4:        3
   A5:  80     B5:        3
   A6: More    B6:        1

and your chart will be a column chart reflecting the data in this Histogram table.

Microsoft Excel counts the number of data points in each data bin. A data point is included in a particular data bin if the number is greater than the lowest bound and equal to or less than the greater bound for the data bin. In the example here, the bin that corresponds to data values from 0 to 20 contains two data points, 3 and 20.

If you omit the bin range, Microsoft Excel creates a set of evenly distributed bins between the data's minimum and maximum values.

NOTE: You will not be able to create the Histogram chart if you specify the options (Output range or New worksheet ply) that create the Histogram table in the same workbook as your data.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

183188 XL98: ATP Error: "Cannot Add Chart to a Shared Workbook"

REFERENCES

For more information about the Histogram tool, click the Office Assistant, type "histogram," click Search, and then click to view "Histogram analysis tool."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

179216 OFF98: How to Use the Microsoft Office Installer Program

Additional query words: XL98 toolpack tool pack

Keywords: kbhowto KB189519