Google Sheets offers many data visualization tools within its platform, with one of the most popular ones being the histogram.

Read more to learn what exactly a histogram is, what it’s used for, and how to make one on Google Sheets.

What is a histogram and what is it used for?

A histogram is a graphical representation showing the distribution of data points that have been grouped into specific ranges or categories.

Say you have a blog and you have blog posts ranging from 1 to 500 words, 500 to 1,000 words, and 1,000 to 2,000 words. You want to analyze which bucket gets the most organic traffic. You can use a histogram to accomplish this.

While a histogram looks like a bar chart, the two are not interchangeable. A histogram displays the frequency distribution of variables within a data set. A bar graph, however, serves as a comparison between separate variables.

Now that you know how to use it, let’s go over how to make one.

How to Make a Histogram on Google Sheets

1. Select your data set.

   

2. Click on “Insert” then select “Chart.”

   

3. Click the drop-down menu in “Chart Type” then scroll down to the “Other” section.

   

4. Review your histogram.

   

5. Edit your chart by clicking on the three dots and then clicking on “Edit chart.”

Use the chart editor to get the most out of your histogram. You can edit:

• The chart style by showing item dividers or changing bucket size for instance.
• The titles
• The series
• The legend
• The axis (both horizontal and vertical)
• The gridlines

There you have it – another helpful visualization tool you can use to understand your data.