After collecting the data, it is very important to display it in a specific way to highlight its features. For that purpose, diagrammatic representation is the best way of representing the data. A histogram and bar graph are two ways in which the data can be displayed in the form of a diagram. Both of these terms use bars to display data. The main difference between bar graph and histogram is in the way they represent the data.
Let’s take a closer look at the Bar Graph vs. Histogram
| Presents | A histogram represents quantitative data, while a bar graph represents categorical data. |
| Reordered | Bar graph can be reordered while histogram doesn’t |
| Items | Items of a histogram are numbers, while the bar graph item is considered individual entities. |
| Axis | Both the bar graph and histogram contain two axis |
Table of Contents
What is a Bar Graph?
The bar graph is a chart that is used to represent the comparison of categorized data. It has parallel rectangular bars which have the same width but different lengths. These bars display the grouped data. Each rectangular block represents a specific category, and they are arranged in such a way in a bar that they do not touch each other. Bar diagrams can be both vertical and horizontal. It contains two axes: one axis displays the categories while the other is to display the discrete value of data.
What is Histogram?
The histogram can be defined as a bar chart, which shows the frequency distribution of continuous data with the help of bars to represent the statistical information. It shows the observation present in-between the range of values, called class or bin. It is the first step of constructing the histogram to take the observation and split these into intervals called bins. It has two axis, x and y. the x-axis shows the independent variables while the y-axis shows dependent variables.
6 Key Differences Between Bar Graph and Histogram
| Components | Bar Graph | Histogram |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | A bar graph is a pictorial representation of data, which uses bars to compare different categories of data. | A histogram is a graphical representation of data, which uses bars to show the frequency of numerical data. |
| Indicates | The bar graph indicates the comparison of discrete variables | A histogram indicates the distribution of non-discrete variables |
| Elements | Elements are considered as individual entities | Elements are grouped together so that they can be considered as ranges |
| Width | In a bar graph, the width of bars needs to be the same | In the histogram, the width of the bars doesn’t need to be the same |
| Spaces | In a bar graph, the bars are arranged with spaces so that they don’t touch each other. | There is no space between the bars in the histogram, and they can touch each other. |
| Rearrangement | In the case of a bar graph, the rearrangement of blocks can be easily done from highest to lowest. | In the histogram, the rearrangement is not possible, as the bars are present in the sequence. |
Bar Graphs vs. Histograms Similarities
- Histograms and bar graphs both depend upon bars to represent and display the data.
- Whether it is a histogram or bar chart, both have a two-axis, x-axis, and y-axis.
Bar Graph vs. Histogram Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons of Bar Graph
Pros of Bar Graph
- A bar graph can summarize a large amount of data visualization to make it easier to understand.
- Can easily compare more than one data set and make quick and accurate estimates.
- It is the best method for representing the data and is used by many industries.
Cons of Bar Graph
- It often needs additional explanation and cannot expose the causes, patterns, and impacts.
- Bar graphs use only discrete data.
- Don’t show a relationship between activities, making it difficult to manage projects.
Pros and Cons of Histogram
Pros of Histogram
- Histograms are used very large in marketing campaigns and project management for visualization purposes.
- Another advantage of the histogram is that it can represent a large number of bars, which represent different class intervals.
- A single glance at a histogram can give an idea about the shape and structure of the data.
Cons of Histogram
- A histogram cannot display discrete data. It can only show the continuous frequency distribution.
- Histograms cannot provide information like upper quartile, lower quartile, and median of data.
Comparison Chart
Comparison Video
Bar Graph vs. Histogram FAQs
Is A Histogram a Bar Graph?
Yes, a histogram is basically a type of bar graph used to display quantitative data. The histogram shows the frequency of non-discrete data.
How is a Histogram Different From A Bar Graph?
Histograms and bar graphs are different from each other as histograms display quantitative data while bar graphs display categorical data.
When to Use Histogram vs. Bar Graph?
Histograms are used when you need to show the distribution of variables, and the bar graph is used when you need to compare variables.
Can Histograms Have Gaps?
A histogram resembles a bar graph, but it does not have any gaps between the bars.
Conclusion
If we look at histogram Versus bar graph, Both are used to display data with the help of bars, and both have x and y-axis. The height of the bars depends upon the frequency of the data in the element. But the main difference between bar graphs and histograms is in presentation as bar graphs represent categorical data while histograms represent quantitative data. These are also different in the arrangement of bars. The bars of the bar graph have space between them and cannot touch each other. But the histogram bars don’t have any space and touch each other.
