Re: Histogram for discrete probability distribution

[Donald Burrill]

On Wed, 9 Aug 2000, dennis roberts wrote in part:

> [You could use]  dotplots ... 
        <  snip, some commentary about dot plots  >

> [or] a simple old fashioned [character-graphics] histogram ... 

> Histogram of C1   N = 36
> 
> Midpoint        Count
>    1.500            6  ******
>    2.000            6  ******
>    2.500            6  ******
>    3.000            0
>    3.500            6  ******
>    4.000            6  ******
>    4.500            6  ******

For discrete probability plots, I much prefer the simple scatterplot. 
In Minitab's character graphics, plotting 'P' vs 'X' (with a little 
finagling to get the tick marks neatly placed and labelled) I got this: 

     0.20+
         -
 P       -       *    *    *         *    *    *
         -
         -
     0.10+
         -
         -
         -
         -
     0.00+--+---------+---------+---------+---------+------X
          1.0       2.0       3.0        4.0       5.0

The "0.00+" label is not supplied by Minitab, which does not provide a 
label on the ordinate at the level of the abscissa;  I edited it in.
If you like you can draw in vertical lines from the points (marked *) to 
the abscissa, or type them in with vertical-bar characters.
                                                                -- DFB.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Donald F. Burrill                                 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 348 Hyde Hall, Plymouth State College,          [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 MSC #29, Plymouth, NH 03264                                 603-535-2597
 184 Nashua Road, Bedford, NH 03110                          603-471-7128  



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