Relative frequency, step by step
A relative frequency is a count read as a share of a total, written as a percent.
| Pet | No pet | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 13 | 12 | 25 |
| Grade 8 | 7 | 20 | 27 |
| Total | 20 | 32 | 52 |
Of the 25 Grade 7 students, what percent have a pet?
%
Of the 25 Grade 7 students, what percent have a pet?
- "Of the 25 Grade 7 students" — that is the row, and it is the only part of the table this question is about. The other row is not being asked about at all, and neither is the 52 at the bottom.
- Now the part. Of that row, 13 have a pet — the Pet column. So the fraction is 13 out of 25, not 13 out of 52.
- Divide: 13 ÷ 25 = 0.52. A percent is "out of a hundred", so multiply by 100: 52%.
- So the answer is 52% — 13 of the 25 Grade 7 students, and 13 ÷ 25 = 0.52, which is 52%. Had you divided by the 52 instead, you would have answered a different question: what percent of EVERYONE, rather than of that row.
How it works.
- 01
"Of the 25 Grade 7 students" — that is the row, and it is the only part of the table this question is about. The other row is not being asked about at all, and neither is the 52 at the bottom.
- 02
Now the part. Of that row, 13 have a pet — the Pet column. So the fraction is 13 out of 25, not 13 out of 52.
- 03
Divide: 13 ÷ 25 = 0.52. A percent is "out of a hundred", so multiply by 100: 52%.
- 04
So the answer is 52% — 13 of the 25 Grade 7 students, and 13 ÷ 25 = 0.52, which is 52%. Had you divided by the 52 instead, you would have answered a different question: what percent of EVERYONE, rather than of that row.