In order to obtain the optimal number of class intervals, simply enter the total number of data values in the Sturges’ Rule Calculator below.
Number of Bins to Use: 6
Suppose that we are given a large number of raw data values. The data values need to be divided into class intervals in order to present them in the form of a frequency distribution table.
The Sturges rule is used to calculate the number of intervals that the data must be divided into. The obtained frequency distribution can also be used to draw a histogram for the data values.
It is important to use the Sturges rule to calculate the optimal number of bins/class intervals because if there are too few class intervals then the resulting frequency distribution will not be very informative.
On the other hand, if there are too many bins then the resulting frequency distribution will be too detailed and it will become difficult to interpret the data.
The Sturges rule is given by the formula,
Number of class intervals k=log2(N) + 1.
Here, k denotes the optimal number of class intervals/bins and N denotes the total number of data values. If the value of k is a decimal fraction then it must be rounded up to the nearest integer value.
