Cumulative Frequency
![Picture](/uploads/1/5/5/9/15596216/7061704.gif)
Cumulative
Cumulative means "how much so far".
Think of the word "accumulate" which means to gather
together.
To have cumulative totals, just add up the values as you go.
Example: Jamie has earned this much in the last 6 months:
Month Earned
March
$120
April
$50
May
$110
June
$100
July
$50
August
$20
To work out the cumulative totals, just add up as you go.
The first line is easy, the total earned so far is the same as Jamie earned
that month:
Month Earned Cumulative
March
$120
$120
But for April, the total earned so far is $120 + $50 = $170 :
Month
Earned
Cumulative
March
$120
$120
April
$50
$170
And for May we continue to add up: $170 + $110 = $280
Month
Earned
Cumulative
March
$120
$120
April
$50
$170
May
$110
$280
Do you see how we add the previous month's cumulative total to this month's
earnings?
Here is the calculation for the rest:
And this is the result
Month - Earned - Cumulative
March - $120 - $120
April - $50 - $170
May - $110 - $280
June - $100 - $380
July - $50 - $430
August - $20 - $450
The last cumulative total should match the total of all earnings:
$450 is the last cumulative total ...
... it is also the total of all earnings:
$120+$50+$110+$100+$50+$20 = $450
So we got it right.
So that's how to do it, add up as you go down the list and you will
have cumulative totals.
You could also call it a "Running Total"
Think of the word "accumulate" which means to gather
together.
To have cumulative totals, just add up the values as you go.
Example: Jamie has earned this much in the last 6 months:
Month Earned
March
$120
April
$50
May
$110
June
$100
July
$50
August
$20
To work out the cumulative totals, just add up as you go.
The first line is easy, the total earned so far is the same as Jamie earned
that month:
Month Earned Cumulative
March
$120
$120
But for April, the total earned so far is $120 + $50 = $170 :
Month
Earned
Cumulative
March
$120
$120
April
$50
$170
And for May we continue to add up: $170 + $110 = $280
Month
Earned
Cumulative
March
$120
$120
April
$50
$170
May
$110
$280
Do you see how we add the previous month's cumulative total to this month's
earnings?
Here is the calculation for the rest:
- June is $280 + $100 = $380
- July is $380 + $50 = $430
- August is $430 + $20 = $450
And this is the result
Month - Earned - Cumulative
March - $120 - $120
April - $50 - $170
May - $110 - $280
June - $100 - $380
July - $50 - $430
August - $20 - $450
The last cumulative total should match the total of all earnings:
$450 is the last cumulative total ...
... it is also the total of all earnings:
$120+$50+$110+$100+$50+$20 = $450
So we got it right.
So that's how to do it, add up as you go down the list and you will
have cumulative totals.
You could also call it a "Running Total"