What is the difference between a bar graph and a histogram?

Rachelle Bencio Yu

Updated on December 28, 2023

Answer: Discrete vs Continuous Data

Graph Types in Data Visualization

A bar graph is used to represent categorical data with discrete values, where each bar represents a category, and the height of the bar corresponds to the value or frequency of that category. A histogram, on the other hand, is used for continuous data. It displays the distribution of numerical data over a continuous interval, with bars representing the frequency of data within specific intervals. Understanding these differences is key in data analysis and presentation.