Block Histogram Guide

When to use a block histogram

A block histogram lets you see the distribution of numeric values in a data set. The x-axis is divided into "bins" that correspond to value ranges. Each item in the data set is drawn as a rectangular block, and the blocks are piled into the bins to show how many values in each range.

How our block histogram works

To see the exact value of a block, move your mouse over it. If you are charting more than one dimension, use the menu at the bottom of the graph to choose which to show.

You can also highlight a block by clicking. (Use control-click to highlight more than one, and click again to deselect.) Highlights are helpful for pointing to particular items when you make a comment, or following a particular item as you change the x-axis using the menu at bottom.

Data requirements

A block histogram needs a data table with one text column, for labels, and one or more numeric columns. For instance, in the table below, "Person" is the label column and "Height, Feet" is the value column.

Expert notes

A block histogram is a bit like an interactive version of a stem-and-leaf diagram: it gives you an overall sense of the data, but you can get details if you want them.