Step 2: Calculate the Relative Frequency

Now that you know the frequency (the count of values in a range), you need to divide by the total number of observations to calculate the relative frequency.

A relative frequency equals the number of observations whose values fall in a certain range, divided by the total number of observations.

Formula

Calculate the relative frequency using the formula below:

\[\text{Relative Frequency} = \frac{\text{Observations in range}}{\text{Total observations}}\]

In this case:

\[\text{Relative Frequency} = \frac{\text{Chickens weighing more than 5lbs}} {\text{Total chickens weighed}}\]

Recall that the Colonel weighed 32 chickens total, and 15 chickens weighed more than 5 pounds.

\[\text{Relative Frequency} = \frac{15}{32} = 0.469 = \mathbf{46.9\%}\]

We can interpret this relative frequency as the probability that a randomly selected chicken weighs more than 5 pounds: 46.9%.

Converting Decimals to Percentages

Relative frequencies can be reported as decimals or as percentages. To convert a decimal to a percentage, multiply by 100.

Round your percentage to one decimal place (XX.X%).

\[0.469 \times 100 = 46.9\%\]