# Histogram and Sturges' formula **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [October 28, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/histogram-and-sturges-formula/14133 "2013-10-28T04:09:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Justin\_MacCarthy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/justin_maccarthy/32/2020_2.png) [@Justin\_MacCarthy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Justin_MacCarthy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/histogram-and-sturges-formula/14133/1 "2013-10-28T04:09:20Z")
Hi, Has anyone figured out how to use Sturges ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histogram#cite\_note-sturges-9](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histogram#cite_note-sturges-9)) or similar to set the number of bins in a histogram? Is it possible to use scripting to set that number ? This is a common method in more histogram, functions, in R, D3,js , etc. Thanks -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![spinscale](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/spinscale/32/25011_2.png) [@spinscale](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/spinscale)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 9:42am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/histogram-and-sturges-formula/14133/2 "2013-10-28T09:42:08Z")
Hey, can you maybe tell us, what you expect the histogram interval to happen with? Linking to paid content makes is pretty hard to understand the requirement. 🙂 I suppose you want automatic bucketing instead of specifying an interval manually? --Alex On Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 5:09 AM, Justin MacCarthy \< [justin.maccarthy@gmail.com](mailto:justin.maccarthy@gmail.com)\> wrote: > Hi, > > Has anyone figured out how to use Sturges ( > [Histogram - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histogram#cite_note-sturges-9)) or similar to > set the number of bins in a histogram? > Is it possible to use scripting to set that number ? > > This is a common method in more histogram, functions, in R, D3,js , etc. > > Thanks > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "elasticsearch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_MacCarthy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/justin_maccarthy/32/2020_2.png) [@Justin\_MacCarthy](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Justin_MacCarthy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 10:00am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/histogram-and-sturges-formula/14133/3 "2013-10-28T10:00:03Z")
From the wikipedia article I linked to > Sturges' formula > Sturges' formula[9][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histogram#cite\_note-sturges-9](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histogram#cite_note-sturges-9) is > derived from a binomial distribution and implicitly assumes an > approximately normal distribution. > [image: k = \lceil \log\_2 n + 1 \rceil, ,] > It implicitly bases the bin sizes on the range of the data and can perform > poorly if _n_ \< 30.[\*citation needed[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation\_needed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed) > \*] It may also perform poorly if the data are not normally distributed. > I suppose you want automatic bucketing instead of specifying an interval > manually? Yes, using the above method or similar Justin On Monday, October 28, 2013 4:42:08 PM UTC+7, Alexander Reelsen wrote: > Hey, > > can you maybe tell us, what you expect the histogram interval to happen > with? Linking to paid content makes is pretty hard to understand the > requirement. 🙂 > I suppose you want automatic bucketing instead of specifying an interval > manually? > > --Alex > > On Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 5:09 AM, Justin MacCarthy \<[justin.m...@gmail.com](mailto:justin.m...@gmail.com)\ > > > wrote: > > > Hi, > > > > Has anyone figured out how to use Sturges ( > > [Histogram - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histogram#cite_note-sturges-9)) or similar > > to set the number of bins in a histogram? > > Is it possible to use scripting to set that number ? > > > > This is a common method in more histogram, functions, in R, D3,js , etc. > > > > Thanks > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "elasticsearch" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to [elasticsearc...@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearc...@googlegroups.com) \. > > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![jprante](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jprante/32/44941_2.png) [@jprante](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jprante)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/histogram-and-sturges-formula/14133/4 "2013-10-28T20:31:33Z")
If you want to implement automatic number of bin calculation for a histogram, I recommend reading Lucien Birgé and Yves Rozenholc: [http://archive.numdam.org/ARCHIVE/PS/PS\_2006\_\_10\_/PS\_2006\_\_10\_\_24\_0/PS\_2006\_\_10\_\_24\_0.pdf](http://archive.numdam.org/ARCHIVE/PS/PS_2006 __10_/PS_2006__ 10 __24_0/PS_2006__ 10__24_0.pdf) For a start, I would prefer alternatives of equi-distant histogram bins or equi-frequent histogram bins instead of having to put in a specific constant interval. Jörg -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/groups/opt\_out](https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 2:10am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/histogram-and-sturges-formula/14133/5 "2017-07-06T02:10:07Z")