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In this article
FREQUENCY counts how many values fall into each bin — the data behind a histogram.
Syntax
=FREQUENCY(data_array, bins_array)| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
bins_array |
Upper limits of each bin, sorted ascending. |
Examples
Example 1
=FREQUENCY(C2:C200, {10000,50000,100000})Orders ≤10k, 10k–50k, 50k–1L and above (returns 4 results).
Power combo
=MAX(FREQUENCY(IF(B2:B100="W",ROW(B2:B100)),IF(B2:B100<>"W",ROW(B2:B100))))Longest winning streak in a W/L list (Excel 365, or Ctrl+Shift+Enter).
FREQUENCY in practice
Where you will use it
- Count salaries in bands
- Marks distribution
- Order value buckets
Worked example
| Band up to | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 20000 | =INDEX(FREQUENCY({15000,22000,38000,41000,55000,61000,18000},{20000,40000,60000}),ROW()-1) | 2 |
| 40000 | =INDEX(FREQUENCY({15000,22000,38000,41000,55000,61000,18000},{20000,40000,60000}),ROW()-1) | 2 |
| 60000 | =INDEX(FREQUENCY({15000,22000,38000,41000,55000,61000,18000},{20000,40000,60000}),ROW()-1) | 2 |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Extra bucket | FREQUENCY returns one more value for 'above the last band' |
| Older Excel | Enter as an array formula (Ctrl+Shift+Enter) |
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Statistics basics22 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 34 KB
Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.
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