Relative frequency, in statistics, denotes the proportion of times a specific event occurs within a dataset relative to the total number of observations. Expressed often as a percentage or decimal, it quantifies the likelihood of an event’s occurrence within the sample. For instance, in a survey of 100 individuals, if 30 reported a preference for a specific brand, the relative frequency of that preference would be 0.30 or 30%. Implementing calculations for this measure in spreadsheet software streamlines data analysis.
Calculating event proportions provides a clearer understanding of data distribution and patterns. This measure is essential for identifying trends, making predictions, and drawing meaningful conclusions from raw data. Its application spans across various fields including market research, quality control, and scientific analysis. Historically, determining these values involved manual computation, a process that was both time-consuming and prone to error. Modern spreadsheet applications significantly reduce the effort and increase accuracy.
