What does the term “data distribution” refer to?

The term "data distribution" refers to the way in which data points are spread or arranged across a range of values. This concept is fundamental in statistics and data analysis, as it describes patterns in the data, including how often different values occur and whether the data follows a particular pattern, such as normal distribution. Understanding data distribution helps analysts identify trends, make predictions, and perform various statistical tests.

In contrast, the total value of the data set does not capture how individual data points relate to one another or their overall spread. The frequency of data point appearance focuses on how often specific values occur, which is part of understanding the distribution but does not encompass the entire picture. Similarly, the average value of the data is a single summary statistic that does not represent how data points are distributed across the overall data set. Thus, while all these options relate to data, the definition of "data distribution" is specifically concerned with how the data points are arranged or spread.