Calculate number of bins for histogram

Automatically calculates the 'best' number of bins for a histogram.
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Updated Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:25:22 +0000

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Two files are included:
CALCNBINS, which calculates the "ideal" number of bins to use in a histogram, using three possible methods. (Freedman-Diaconis', Scott's and Sturges' methods.)

HISTX is a wrapper for Matlab's own histogram function HIST, that uses CALCNBINS to choose the number of bins if none is provided.

Examples:
y = randn(10000,1);
nb = calcnbins(y, 'all')
% nb =
% fd: 57
% scott: 44
% sturges: 15
calcnbins(y) %Uses the middle value from the above
% ans =
% 44
calcnbins(y, 'fd') % Choose your method
% ans =
% 57
histx(y) %Plots a histogram using middle method
histx(y, 'all') %Plots 3 histograms, using each method

Cite As

Richie Cotton (2024). Calculate number of bins for histogram (https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/21033-calculate-number-of-bins-for-histogram), MATLAB Central File Exchange. Retrieved .

MATLAB Release Compatibility
Created with R2008a
Compatible with any release
Platform Compatibility
Windows macOS Linux
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Version Published Release Notes
1.1.0.0

NaN values are now consistently ignored in calcnbins.

1.0.0.0

Bug fix