Frequency Polygons: Clara James Tutoring

Understanding Frequency Polygons

June 25, 2024•1 min read

There are 3 main things to remember when plotting a frequency polygon

Understanding Frequency Polygons: A Simple Guide

Frequency polygons have been a popular topic lately, especially for those who tackled them in their recent maths mock exams. If you found them tricky, you’re not alone! They often appear at the end of the foundation maths mock paper and the beginning of the higher paper. But don’t worry, they’re not as complicated as they might seem.

Here are the three main things to remember when plotting a frequency polygon:

1. Label the Axes:

Make sure you label the axes if it hasn’t already been done for you. This step is crucial for clarity and helps you keep track of your data.

2. Plot Points Correctly:

Draw your points halfway between the class intervals. For example, if your class interval is 0 < x ≤ 20, place your point at 10 (the midpoint) and then at the given frequency. I hope that makes sense!

3. Connect the Dots, But Don’t Close the Shape:

Join your points with straight lines but remember not to connect the first and last points. In other words, don’t make it into a closed shape. It should look more like an open line graph rather than a solid shape.

I hope this explanation makes sense. If you’re still a bit confused, feel free to ask for help. Sometimes, it’s easier to explain things verbally than in writing, so I’d be happy to make a video tutorial if that would help!

Happy plotting!

Dawn Strachan

For the past 20+ years I have been a firm believer that learning should be an enjoyable experience. I appreciate that traditionally education has revolved around worksheets, textbooks, listening to teachers. But a grounding in early years and working with children who had a variety of learning styles from I learned that it is an individual activity that is personal to all of us. We don’t all learn in the same way. Our influences, our experiences, our capabilities all influence how we retain information. But through it all, I believe that if we can make it enjoyable and engaging, they will want to participate. With participation comes practice which in turn boosts skill and confidence. With an increase in skill and confidence comes a willingness to have a go. This in turn leads to more practice which leads to a positive spiral of success. The moral, we need to make learning fun, engaging, use a range of techniques.

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