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Two Way Tables

Here we will learn about two way tables, including what a two way table is, how to construct them, interpret them, and how to  calculate the probability of an event using a two way table.

There are also two way tables worksheets based on Edexcel, AQA and OCR exam questions, along with further guidance on where to go next if you’re still stuck.

What are two way tables?

Two way tables are a type of frequency table used for organising data. They are also known as contingency tables.

Two way tables are mostly used for categorical data, though they can be used for numerical data too. Categorical data is data where the items are words rather than numbers.

For example, colours, sports, and car manufacturers.

To construct a two way table, we need two categorical variables. One variable is featured as the top row within the two way table, and the other variable features on the first column of the table. 

For example,

This two way table shows a data set about what students eat for lunch. One categorical variable is the gender of the child, the other categorical variable is what type of lunch they have.

Two Way Tables image 4

There are row and column totals. So we can see that there are katex is not defined boys and that katex is not defined students have packed lunch. The total number of students in the table is katex is not defined

What are two way tables?

What are two way tables?

How to construct two way tables

In order to construct two way tables:

  1. Fill in the known values into the two way table.
  2. Calculate missing values.
  3. Calculate the row and column totals.
  4. Check the final total. 

Explain how to construct two way tables

Explain how to construct two way tables

Two way tables worksheet

Two way tables worksheet

Two way tables worksheet

Get your free two way tables worksheet of 20+ questions and answers. Includes reasoning and applied questions.

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Two way tables worksheet

Two way tables worksheet

Two way tables worksheet

Get your free two way tables worksheet of 20+ questions and answers. Includes reasoning and applied questions.

DOWNLOAD FREE

Related lessons on representing data

Two way tables is part of our series of lessons to support revision on representing data. You may find it helpful to start with the main representing data lesson for a summary of what to expect, or use the step by step guides below for further detail on individual topics. Other lessons in this series include:

Two way tables examples

Example 1: missing row and column totals

Complete this two way table,

Two Way Tables example 1 image

  1. Fill in the known values into the two way table.

Here, we know each of the individual values for each category so we can move on to Step 2.

2Calculate missing values.

Here, we do not have any missing values and so we can move on to Step 3.

3Calculate the row and column totals.

The total number of boys katex is not defined.

The total number of girls katex is not defined.

The total number of students who like rugby katex is not defined.

The total number of students who do not like rugby katex is not defined.

Filling in these values into the table, we have

Two Way Tables example 1 step 3

4Check the final total.

The total number of boys and girls katex is not defined.

The total number of students who do (not) like rugby katex is not defined.

Filling in the grand total of katex is not defined, we have the final solution.

Two Way Tables example 1 step 4

Example 2: three categories with missing totals

Complete this two way table,

Two Way Tables example 2 image

Fill in the known values into the two way table.

Show step

Calculate missing values.

Show step

Calculate the row and column totals.

Show step

Check the final total. 

Show step

Example 3: missing values throughout the table

Complete this two way table,

Two Way Tables example 3 image

Fill in the known values into the two way table.

Show step

Calculate missing values.

Show step

Calculate the row and column totals.

Show step

Check the final total. 

Show step

Example 4: constructing a two way table from a worded problem

A school is researching the handedness of katex is not defined students in Year katex is not defined students in Class A are right-handed. katex is not defined students in Class B are left-handed. katex is not defined students in Class C are left-handed. There are katex is not defined students who are right-handed, and katex is not defined students in Class B. Construct a two way table to represent this data.

Fill in the known values into the two way table.

Show step

Calculate missing values.

Show step

Calculate the row and column totals.

Show step

Check the final total. 

Show step

Example 5: using a two way table to work out a probability

katex is not defined students chose to study History or Geography.  

katex is not defined of the students chose History.

katex is not defined of the boys chose Geography.

katex is not defined of the girls chose History.

A student is chosen at random.  By constructing a two way table, work out the probability that the student is a boy who studies history.

Two Way Tables example 5 image

Fill in the known values into the two way table.

Show step

Calculate missing values.

Show step

Calculate the row and column totals.

Show step

Check the final total. 

Show step

Example 6: conditional probability

People can sit in a seat in the stalls or the circle or the balcony of a theatre. There are katex is not defined seats altogether.

There are katex is not defined children who have seats in the theatre.

There are katex is not defined adults in the stalls and katex is not defined adults in the circle.

Altogether there are katex is not defined people in the stalls and katex is not defined people in the balcony.

A person is chosen at random. Work out the probability that the person is a child, given that they are sitting on the balcony.

Two Way Tables example 6 image

Fill in the known values into the two way table.

Show step

Calculate missing values.

Show step

Calculate the row and column totals.

Show step

Check the final total. 

Show step

Common misconceptions

  • Whole numbers 

The numbers in the two way table are whole numbers, not decimals or fractions. This is because the numbers are frequencies where data has been counted.

  • Modelling in maths

The situations in maths questions have been simplified to make the situation simpler to study. The world is a more complex place to live.  So individuals need to go under one category and one only. 

For example, a school asks students to choose football or rugby. In maths we keep these separate. But in real-life the school may accommodate students who want to choose both or neither. This is where we would use a Venn diagram instead.

Step-by-step guide: Venn diagram

  • Frequencies

Each individual is only counted once in the main body of the table. Each of the katex is not defined individuals are only in one of the four cells of the main section of the table.

Two Way Tables image 2

  • Overall total

Be careful not to double the overall total (or grand total).

For example, the β€˜grand total’ of this table is katex is not defined. Each individual item only counts once towards the β€˜grand total’. But it can be worked out using the row totals or the column totals.

katex is not defined

Two Way Tables image 3

Practice two way tables questions

1. Complete the two way table.

 

Two Way Tables question 1 image 1

Two Way Tables question 1 image 2

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables question 1 image 3

GCSE Quiz True

Two Way Tables question 1 image 4

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables question 1 image 5

GCSE Quiz False

The column totals are katex is not defined and katex is not defined

 

The row totals are katex is not defined and katex is not defined

 

The overall total will be katex is not defined

2. Complete the two way table.

 

Two Way Tables question 2 image 1

Two Way Tables question 2 image 3

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables question 2 image 4

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables question 2 image 5

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables question 2 answer

GCSE Quiz True

The column totals are katex is not defined and katex is not defined.

 

The row totals are katex is not defined and katex is not defined.

 

The overall total will be katex is not defined

3. Complete the two way table.

 

Two Way Tables question 3 image 1

Two Way Tables question 3 image 2

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables question 3 explanation 5

GCSE Quiz True

Two Way Tables question 3 image 4

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables question 3 image 5

GCSE Quiz False

Find the missing values in the table by subtracting or adding.

 

Total number of children katex is not defined.

 

Two Way Tables question 3 explanation 1

 

Adult and does not drink tea katex is not defined.

 

Two Way Tables question 3 explanation 2

 

Child and drinks tea katex is not defined.

 

Two Way Tables question 3 explanation 3

 

Child and does not drink tea katex is not defined.

 

Two Way Tables question 3 explanation 4

 

Total number of people who do not drink tea katex is not defined.

 

Two Way Tables question 3 explanation 5

4. katex is not defined sportsmen and women were asked about what sport they play. Draw a two way table showing the results below.

 

  • katex is not defined people play football
  • katex is not defined people are women
  • katex is not defined people play hockey
  • katex is not defined men play hockey
  • katex is not defined women play rugby

Two Way Tables example 4 a

GCSE Quiz True

Two Way Tables example 6 step 5

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables example 6 step 6

GCSE Quiz False

Two Way Tables example 6 step 7

GCSE Quiz False

Find the missing values in the table by subtracting or adding.

 

The information from the question gives us the following incomplete two way table.

 

Two Way Tables question 4 explanation

 

 

The number of females who play hockey katex is not defined.

 

The number of females who play football katex is not defined.

 

The number of males who play football katex is not defined.

 

 

The total number of rugby players katex is not defined.

 

The number of males who play rugby katex is not defined.

 

The total number of males katex is not defined.

5. katex is not defined people were asked if they ate meat or were vegetarian/vegan.

katex is not defined women were asked and 10 of them did not eat meat.

katex is not defined men ate meat.

 

Calculate the probability of selecting a male at random that does not eat meat.

katex is not defined
GCSE Quiz False

katex is not defined
GCSE Quiz True

katex is not defined
GCSE Quiz False

katex is not defined
GCSE Quiz False

The original two way table is

 

Two Way Tables question 5 explanation

 

Filling in the other values into the two way table, we have

 

Two Way Tables question 5 explanation-1

 

The number of males who do not eat meat is katex is not defined

 

The total number of people is katex is not defined

 

katex is not defined

6. katex is not defined students are asked to choose French, German or Spanish.

 

Altogether katex is not defined students chose German and katex is not defined chose Spanish.

katex is not defined boys chose French.

katex is not defined girls chose German.

There are katex is not defined boys altogether.

 

Complete the table and use it to work out the probability that a girl selected studies Spanish.

 

Two Way Tables question 6 question

katex is not defined
GCSE Quiz False

katex is not defined
GCSE Quiz False

katex is not defined
GCSE Quiz False

katex is not defined
GCSE Quiz True

Calculating the values in the two way table, we have

 

Two Way Tables question 6 question-1

 

The total number of girls katex is not defined.

 

The number of girls who study Spanish katex is not defined.

 

katex is not defined.

 

Two way tables GCSE questions

1. Complete the two way table:

 

Two way tables GCSE question 1 image 1

 

(3 marks)

Show answer

Two way tables GCSE question 1 image 2

 

katex is not defined

(3)

katex is not defined correct

(2)

katex is not defined correct

(1)

2. katex is not defined students each choose to study Drama or Music.

katex is not defined of the students choose Drama.
katex is not defined boys choose Music.
katex is not defined girls choose Drama.

 

(a) Use this information to complete the two way table.

 

Two way tables GCSE question 2a image 1

 

(b) A student is picked at random. Work out the probability that the student is a boy who chooses drama.

 

(c) A Music student is picked at random. Work out the probability that the student is a girl.

 

(8 marks)

Show answer

(a)

 

Two way tables GCSE question 2a image 2

(1)

Two way tables GCSE question 2a image 3

 

katex is not defined

(3)

katex is not defined correct

(2)

katex is not defined correct

(1)

 

(b)

 

katex is not defined or katex is not defined

(1)

katex is not defined

(1)

 

(c)

 

katex is not defined or katex is not defined

(1)

katex is not defined

(1)

3. katex is not defined students are asked to choose one revision session to attend.

The revision classes are – Biology or Chemistry or Physics.

 

There are katex is not defined male students.

katex is not defined students choose Physics.

katex is not defined female students choose Biology.

katex is not defined male students choose Chemistry and katex is not defined choose Biology.

 

(a) Complete the two way table.

 

Two way tables GCSE question 3 image 1

 

(b) How many female students choose Chemistry?

 

(c) A student is picked at random. Work out the probability that the student is male and choose physics.

 

(d) A Biology student is picked at random. Work out the probability that the student is Female.

 

(9 marks)

Show answer

(a)

Two way tables GCSE question 3 image 4

(1)

Two way tables GCSE question 3 image 3

 

katex is not defined

(3)

katex is not defined correct

(2)

katex is not defined correct

(1)

 

(b)

katex is not defined female students choose Chemistry.

(1)

 

(c)

katex is not defined or katex is not defined

(1)

katex is not defined

(1)

 

(d)

katex is not defined or katex is not defined

(1)

katex is not defined

(1)

Learning checklist

You have now learned how to:

  • Construct and interpret appropriate tables
  • Calculate and interpret conditional probabilities through representation using expected frequencies with two-way tables

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