Michael R Middleton wrote:
[joeu2004 wrote:]
Is there an easy way for me to force the number of bins to be N?
The operative word is "easy".

I don't think so. I think you need to use your judgment.

Sorry to hear that.

I know that the tool allows me to specify a "bin range",
a range of cells that specify the lower bound of each bin.

No, I think each bin value is the inclusive upper bound of a
value range.

You are probably right. When I reread the Histogram Help
description, I realize that it is not written in my native
language, English.

First, it says: "Microsoft Excel counts the number of data
points between the current bin number and the adjoining higher
bin, if any."

I think that supports my interpretation. It would not make
sense to count a number in one bin, if the bin boundary value
is the upper bound for the bin and the number is "between
the current [upper] bin [value] and the [upper bin value of]
the adjoining higher bin".

But in fact, then it says: "A number is counted in a particular
bin if it is equal to or less than the bin number down to the
last bin."

I think the English translation is: "A number is counted in
the highest-valued bin for which the number is less than or
equal to the bin's boundary value."

I had trouble gronking "DOWN to the LAST bin", especially since
the following sentance says: "All values below the first bin
value are counted together, as are the values above the last
bin value."

If the bin values are in "ascending order", I think "down"
would be in the direction of descending values. Yet, "last
bin" clearly refers to the highest-valued bin.

Oh well, thanks so much for clarifying.

You might be interested in looking at the "Better Histogram" page at
www.treeplan.com to see a solution to a related histogram issue.

Interesting. The Excel's banal histogram chart never bothered
me because, frankly, I did not know about it. I always chart
the data that is generated by the Histogram tool. In fact, I
choose an XY Scatter diagram.

I do wish that the X-axis values were the midpoint of the bins.
Of course, it is "easy" enough for me to add a column to compute
that.

Thanks again for confirming my suspicion that there is no easy
way to control the number of bins.