Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Frequency Tables: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 7
- ForYear 7
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Frequency Tables is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 7 (ages 11 to 12). Children sort twenty test scores into classes using tally marks, then write down each frequency. It takes about 15 minutes, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Page 1 gives children a table with three columns: score class, tally and frequency. They work through twenty test scores, decide which class each one belongs to and make a tally mark. Then they count the tally marks and write each frequency. There are lines for writing too. Children cross out each score as they tally it, so none is counted twice. At the end they check that the frequencies add up to 20.
- Score class
- Tally
- Frequency
Worked example: walking times
Eight children time their walk to school in minutes: 4, 11, 7, 15, 9, 3, 12, 8. Use classes of 0 to 4, 5 to 9, 10 to 14 and 15 to 19.
This is a different data set from the sheet, with eight values instead of twenty. It shows two ways to work.
Method 1: one score at a time- Read the first score, 4. It belongs in the class 0 to 4. Make a tally mark there and cross out the 4.
- Move to the next score, 11. It belongs in 10 to 14. Tally it and cross it out.
- Carry on until every score is crossed out.
- Count the tally marks in each class and write the frequencies.
- Pick the class 0 to 4. Highlight every score that fits it: 4 and 3.
- Tally those two scores. Then pick 5 to 9 and highlight in a new colour: 7, 9 and 8.
- Repeat for 10 to 14 and then 15 to 19.
- Count each set of tally marks to find the frequencies.
How the table is built
Choose the classes
Classes are the groups of scores. Each class covers the same number of values, and no score can fit into two classes.
Tally each score
Read one score, find its class and add one tally mark. Cross the score out so it is not used again.
Group tallies in fives
Four upright lines and a fifth line across them make a bundle of five. Bundles are quick to count.
Write the frequency
Count the tally marks in each class and write that number in the frequency column. Then add them all up and check the total.
Why group data into classes?
A frequency table shows how often something happens. Raw data is the list of values before anyone has organised it. A long list of test scores is hard to read, because the eye jumps from number to number. When the scores are sorted into classes, patterns start to show, such as where most scores sit and where very few do.
Grouping works best when classes are equal in width and do not overlap. Each value then belongs to exactly one class, and nothing is left out. This is why the total of the frequencies should match the number of values you started with. It is a simple check that catches missed or doubled scores. Statisticians use tables like this before they draw charts.
Skills and curriculum link
- Grouping data
- Using tally marks
- Finding frequencies
- Reading a table
- Checking totals
Ideas to help your child
- DataData is information we collect. Test scores, shoe sizes and rainfall readings are all data. Ask your child what kinds of data they could collect at home.
- Why classes helpWhen there are many different values, a table with one row for each would be very long. Classes make the table shorter and easier to read.
- Tally marksTally marks are a quick way to count as you go. Bundles of five make it easier to count up at the end without losing your place.
- CheckingThe frequencies should add up to the number of values collected. This is a useful habit in any data task, not only this one.
Key words
- DataInformation that has been collected, such as a list of scores.
- ClassA group of values in a table, such as 1 to 5.
- TallyA mark made for each value counted. Every fifth mark goes across the other four.
- FrequencyHow many times a value, or a value in a class, appears.
- Class widthHow many values a class covers. The classes 1 to 5 and 6 to 10 each cover five whole numbers.
- TotalAll the frequencies added together. It should match the number of values you began with.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the table headings together: score class, tally and frequency. Ask your child what each column is for.
- Work through the first few scores together. Say which class each one belongs in, then make the tally mark and cross out the score.
- Let your child finish alone, then count the tally marks and write the frequencies. Check that they add up to 20.
- Compare with the answers on page 2. Ask how they decided on tricky scores. Come back another day to repeat the activity.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Highlight the scores for one class at a time in a different colour before tallying them. Do the first class, tally it, then move to the next colour. Seeing each group on its own makes it harder to miss a score or count one twice.
To stretch confident children
Redraw the table with classes of 0 to 19, 20 to 39 and 40 to 49. Tally the scores again. Then talk about how the picture of the data changes, and what the new table shows or hides compared with the first one.
Make it a game
Collect real data, such as the number of letters in each family member's name. Choose equal classes, then build your own grouped frequency table with tally marks. Swap tables with someone else and check that their frequencies add up.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA score is tallied twice, or missed, and the frequencies do not add up to 20.
Try thisCross out each score as soon as it is tallied. At the end, look for any score not crossed out.
Watch forThe tally marks are hard to count because they are scattered.
Try thisDraw four upright lines and a fifth across them, then start a new bundle. Count in fives.
Watch forA score on the edge of a class goes in the wrong row.
Try thisSay the class limits aloud, such as 10 to 14, and check the score really lies between them.
Talk about it
- Why is it easier to read a table of classes than a long list of scores?
- How did you decide which class a score belonged in?
- Which class has the highest frequency? What does that tell us?
- How could you check that you have not missed a score?
- What would change if the classes were wider or narrower?
- What else could we collect data on at home?
Take it off the page
Name length survey
Ask each family member to count the letters in their name. Tally the results in a table with equal classes and write the frequencies.
Dice rolls
Roll two dice thirty times and add the scores. Group the totals into classes, tally them and see which class is most common.
Book page counts
Pick books from a shelf and note the number of pages in each. Sort them into equal classes and build a frequency table.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first few scores, then let them take over. About 15 minutes is plenty. Praise careful checking, not only the final table. If they get stuck, try highlighting one class at a time.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or homework after teaching grouped data. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas, so it suits mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan. Follow it with your own data collection, such as name lengths or heights. It can be printed again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits
Before this, children count objects, use tally marks and read simple tables and charts. In Year 7 they move on to grouping data into equal classes, where the table must stay organised and the total must be checked.
Afterwards, children can draw charts from grouped data and work out averages and the range from tables. They can also compare two sets of data. A clear, accurate frequency table is the starting point for all of these.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Frequency Tables for?
It is written for Year 7 (ages 11 to 12), in Key Stage 3. Younger confident learners can try it too, and older children can use it as revision. The stretch idea on page 2 adds challenge for confident learners.
- What will children practise?
Children group raw data into equal classes using tally marks and frequencies. They also practise reading a table and checking that the frequencies add up to the number of scores they started with.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages and give page 1 to the child. It takes about 15 minutes. They cross out each score as it is tallied and check that the frequencies add up to 20. Then check with page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Highlight the scores for one class at a time in a different colour before tallying them. Work through the first few scores together, say each class aloud, and let your child take over when they feel ready.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision later. It needs only paper and a pencil, and black and white printing works well.
- Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support, stretch and answers for mixed ability groups.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It is a printable that needs only paper and a pencil. It works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays, and it gives children a chance to think and write by hand.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.