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FREQUENCY Function (LibreOffice Calc)

Math Advanced LibreOffice Calc Introduction not established

The FREQUENCY function in LibreOffice Calc calculates how often values occur within specified bins. This guide explains syntax, array behavior, examples, histogram usage, errors, and best practices.

Verification status: Consult the documentation, examples and any stated test scope below. How formula examples are checked

Availability and version history

  • Introduced: Documented by LibreOffice 26.8.1.1; original introduction not established.
  • Availability: Supported in LibreOffice 26.8.1.1, verified against its function registry. This identifies a supported release, not a final working version.
  • Scope: Desktop Calc, using the English function name. Availability in other spreadsheet applications is separate.
  • Checked: 2026-10-14 — function reference; versioned support. Documentation/source check; not a new native test. Existing example-specific test claims below retain their stated scope.
The **FREQUENCY** function counts how many values fall into specified **bins** (intervals). It is essential for histograms, distribution analysis, and statistical modeling. FREQUENCY is an **array function**, meaning it returns multiple results at once.

What the FREQUENCY Function Does

  • Counts how many values fall into each bin
  • Returns an array of results
  • Automatically creates an extra bin for values above the last bin
  • Ignores empty cells
  • Works across sheets
  • Ideal for histograms and distribution analysis

FREQUENCY is one of Calc’s most powerful statistical tools.

Syntax

FREQUENCY(data_array; bins_array)

Where:

  • data_array — the values to analyze
  • bins_array — the upper limits of each bin
FREQUENCY must be entered as an array formula in older Calc versions (Ctrl+Shift+Enter).
Modern versions spill automatically.

Basic Examples

Count values in bins 10, 20, 30

=FREQUENCY(A1:A20; {10;20;30})

Returns an array of 4 values:

  1. Count ≤ 10
  2. Count 11–20
  3. Count 21–30
  4. Count > 30

Using a range for bins

=FREQUENCY(A1:A100; B1:B5)

Frequency across sheets

=FREQUENCY(Sheet1.A1:A100; Sheet2.B1:B5)

Advanced Examples

Create a histogram (manual)

  1. Define bins in B1:B5

  2. Enter:

    =FREQUENCY(A1:A100; B1:B5)

  3. Format results as a column chart

Frequency ignoring zeros

=FREQUENCY(IF(A1:A100<>0; A1:A100); B1:B5)

(Confirm with Ctrl+Shift+Enter in older versions.)

Frequency of visible cells only (filtered data)

FREQUENCY does not ignore hidden rows.
Use SUBTOTAL + helper column:

=SUBTOTAL(103; OFFSET(A1; ROW(A1:A100)-ROW(A1); 0))

Then feed visible-only values into FREQUENCY.

Frequency by category (indirect)

=FREQUENCY(IF(B1:B100="North"; A1:A100); C1:C5)

Frequency of text categories (converted to numbers)

=FREQUENCY(MATCH(A1:A100; UNIQUE(A1:A100); 0); ROW(UNIQUE(A1:A100)))

Frequency for percentile grouping

=FREQUENCY(A1:A100; PERCENTILE.INC(A1:A100; {0.25;0.5;0.75}))

Frequency for equal-width bins

=FREQUENCY(A1:A100; SEQUENCE(10;1;0;10))

(10 bins of width 10.)

How FREQUENCY Calculates Bins

Given bins {10;20;30}:

  • Bin 1: values ≤ 10
  • Bin 2: values >10 and ≤20
  • Bin 3: values >20 and ≤30
  • Bin 4: values >30

Bins must be sorted ascending.

Common Errors and Fixes

FREQUENCY returns a single number

Occurs when:

  • Entered without array behavior in older Calc
  • Output range too small

Fix:
Select enough cells before entering the formula.

Err:502 — Invalid argument

Occurs when:

  • Bins are not numeric
  • Data contains non-numeric text

FREQUENCY returns unexpected distribution

Possible causes:

  • Bins not sorted
  • Zeros included
  • Hidden rows included
  • Text interpreted as zero

FREQUENCY spills too many results

FREQUENCY always returns one more result than the number of bins.

Best Practices

  • Always sort bins ascending
  • Use helper columns for visibility‑aware frequency counts
  • Use array formulas for conditional frequency
  • Use FREQUENCY to build histograms and distribution charts
  • Clean imported data before analysis
  • Use named ranges for cleaner formulas
FREQUENCY is the backbone of histograms and distribution analysis — once you master it, you unlock a whole new level of statistical power in Calc.