1. Exploratory Data Analysis
1.3. EDA Techniques
1.3.3. Graphical Techniques: Alphabetic
1.3.3.14. Histogram

1.3.3.14.1.

Histogram Interpretation: Normal

Symmetric, Moderate-
Tailed Histogram

The above is a histogram of the ZARR13.DAT data set.

Note the classical bell-shaped, symmetric histogram with most of the frequency counts bunched in the middle and with the counts dying off out in the tails. From a physical science/engineering point of view, the normal distribution is that distribution which occurs most often in nature (due in part to the central limit theorem).

Recommended Next Step

If the histogram indicates a symmetric, moderate tailed distribution, then the recommended next step is to do a normal probability plot to confirm approximate normality. If the normal probability plot is linear, then the normal distribution is a good model for the data.