Which of the following best describes the difference between relative frequency and cumulative frequency in a frequency distribution?

• A. Relative frequency is the total number of observations, while cumulative frequency is the proportion of observations in each class.
• B. Relative frequency and cumulative frequency both represent the total number of observations in all classes.
• C. Relative frequency shows the proportion of observations in each class, while cumulative frequency shows the total number of observations up to and including each class.
• D. Relative frequency is used only for qualitative data, while cumulative frequency is used only for quantitative data.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand what relative frequency means. Relative frequency is the proportion or fraction of the total number of observations that fall within a particular class or category. It is calculated by dividing the frequency of a class by the total number of observations.
2. Step 2: Understand what cumulative frequency means. Cumulative frequency is the running total of frequencies up to and including a certain class. It shows how many observations fall within or below a particular class boundary.
3. Step 3: Compare the two concepts. Relative frequency focuses on the proportion of observations in each individual class, while cumulative frequency accumulates counts from the first class up to the current class.
4. Step 4: Recognize that relative frequency is expressed as a proportion or percentage, whereas cumulative frequency is expressed as a count or total number of observations.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct description is: Relative frequency shows the proportion of observations in each class, while cumulative frequency shows the total number of observations up to and including each class.