Bar Chart VS Histogram: Important Differences You’re Looking For

What Is the Bar Chart

A bar chart is used for the representation of data in a graphical form. It is used to compare the frequency and the sums and the different categories of data. Representation of information by using horizontal and vertical bars in the bar chart also called column charts. A bar graph is commonly used for displaying the financial analysis of the numerical data.

There are two types of bar charts- vertical charts and horizontal charts. With the help of a bar chart, you can easily show the comparison between two categories; it is also used to convey relational information quickly as the bar chart displays. A bar chart contains an X-axis, Y-axis, label, bars to represent the relevant information through the chart. A bar chart is used to show all categories of data.

When you make a bar chart, it is always important to decide that you are using discrete or continuous data information; whereas if it is discrete data, always describe the situation when each category is separate from the others but with continuous data series. You should not leave a gap between them and in accordance with the same one should know the difference between bar chart and histogram. 

Read: Top Data Visualization Techniques

What Is Histogram

A histogram is a graphical representation of a group and the statistical data to organize the information into a specified range. It is similar in nature to the graph chart. It is the indication of the data that lies in between the ranges of the values. Mostly it is used in statistics to demonstrate the certain types of variables in the given information. For example, the height of the trees can be grouped into 3 to 4, 5 to 6 feet, and 7 to 8 feet.

Creating a histogram provides a visual representation of numerical information in the form of data. Histograms showcase a large number of data and the frequency of data. And the distribution can be determined by a histogram.

Distribution of histogram is divided into 5 parts:

• A normal distribution
• A bimodal distribution
• A right-skewed distribution
• A left-skewed distribution
• A random distribution

Difference between bar chart and histogram:

Bar Charts

• The graph is the graphical representation of data that uses bars to distinguish various database types.
• There are gaps between the bars and bars that never meet each other.
• Comparison of discrete variables.
• The bar chart is often of similar width.
• It always represents quantitative data only
• The width of the chart may vary in the bar chart
• There will be no spaces between two bars in the bar chart

Histogram

• The histogram is referring to a graphical representation, the information shown in the form of bar charts for the comparison of the different frequencies numerical data, the histogram refers to a graphic display that displays data through bars to display numeric data frequency.
• Elements are clustered to be regarded as ranges in that sort of graph.
• The components of the histogram are numbers to be listed as data range.
• To display the incident frequency.
• The data points in Histogram are clustered and made according to their bin value.
• Histograms always represent categorical data only.
• The width of the histogram would be equal.
• There will be equally spaced bars in the histogram.

Advantages

Advantages of bar chart are as follows

• A bar chart with digital or categorical data may be used.
• In a frequency distribution, the bar graph shows each type of data.
• It includes relative numbers or multi-category proportions
• Visually, you can sum up a broad collection of data.
• At a glance, estimate key values.
• Show close numbers or outline proportions.
• Wide visual data helps to explain patterns than tables better.

Advantages of the histogram are as follows

• It allows you to view a vast volume of data in a tabular form that is difficult to understand.
• They explain what time of occurrences values.
• Useful in deciding a process’s power.
• This allows you to foresee the potential success of the system.
• You could display the frequency of the data incident along with an interval in the histogram.
• Bar graphics advantages
• Histogram’s drawbacks

Also Read: Benefits of Data Visualization

The Drawbacks

Drawbacks of the bar chart are here

• This is the inverse of a bar chart.
• Only the frequencies for a data set are shown in a bar diagram.
• With the Bar Graph, you need more details.
• It does not disclose essential conclusions, triggers, implications or trends.

Drawbacks of the histogram are here

• You can’t read correct values when data is classified.
• It just uses continuous knowledge. Two data sets cannot be contrasted conveniently in Histogram.
• The use of intervals in the histogram avoids any precision measurement of central propensity being to be computed.

Conclusion

The histogram is used to showcase a graphical presentation that represents the data in the form of frequency; whereas a bar chart is also a graphical representation of data and the information that is used for the comparison of two categories. Both bar charts and histograms are an important element of statistics.

In simple terms, a bar chart is used in summarizing categorical data, where a histogram uses a bar of different heights, it is similar to the bar chart in many terms but the histogram groups the numbers into the ranges while representing the data. The difference between bar chart and histogram have been discussed above, which provide enough relevant information and understanding about the two, bar chart and histogram. 

If you are curious to learn about data science, check out IIIT-B & upGrad’s PG Diploma in Data Science which is created for working professionals and offers 10+ case studies & projects, practical hands-on workshops, mentorship with industry experts, 1-on-1 with industry mentors, 400+ hours of learning and job assistance with top firms.