\Header{hist}{Histograms}
\methalias{hist.default}{hist}
\keyword{dplot}{hist}
\keyword{hplot}{hist}
\keyword{distribution}{hist}
\begin{Description}\relax
The generic function \code{hist} computes a histogram of the given
data values.  If \code{plot=TRUE}, the resulting object of
\code{\Link{class} "histogram"} is plotted by
\code{\Link{plot.histogram}}, before it is returned.\end{Description}
\begin{Usage}
\begin{verbatim}
hist(x, ...)
hist.default(x, breaks, freq = NULL, probability = !freq,
     include.lowest = TRUE,
     right = TRUE, col = NULL, border = par("fg"),
     main = paste("Histogram of" , xname),
     xlim = range(breaks), ylim = NULL,
     xlab = xname, ylab,
     axes = TRUE, plot = TRUE, labels = FALSE,
     nclass = NULL, ...)
\end{verbatim}
\end{Usage}
\begin{Arguments}
\begin{ldescription}
\item[\code{x}] a vector of values for which the histogram is desired.
\item[\code{breaks}] either a single number giving the approximate number of
cells for the histogram or a vector giving the breakpoints between
histogram cells.
\item[\code{freq}] logical; if \code{TRUE}, the
histogram graphic is to present a representation of frequencies, i.e,
the \code{counts} component of the result; if \code{FALSE},
\emph{relative} frequencies (``probabilities''), the \code{rel.freqs},
are plotted.   Defaults to \code{TRUE} \emph{iff} \code{breaks} are
equidistant.
\item[\code{probability}] an \emph{alias} for \code{!freq}, for S compatibility.
\item[\code{include.lowest}] logical; if \code{TRUE},
an `x[i]' equal to the `breaks' value will be included in the first
(or last, for \code{right = FALSE}) bar.
\item[\code{right}] logical; if \code{TRUE}, the histograms cells are
right-closed (left open) intervals.
\item[\code{col}] a colour to be used to fill the bars.
The default of \code{NULL} yields unfilled bars.
\item[\code{border}] the color of the border around the bars.
\item[\code{main, xlab, ylab}] these arguments to \code{title} have useful
defaults here.
\item[\code{xlim, ylim}] the range of x and y values with sensible defaults.
\item[\code{plot}] logical.  If \code{TRUE} (default), a histogram is
plotted, otherwise a list of breaks and counts is returned.
\item[\code{labels}] logical or character.  Additionally draw labels on top of bars,
if not \code{FALSE}; see \code{\Link{plot.histogram}}.
\item[\code{nclass}] numeric (integer).  For S compatibility only,
\code{nclass=n} is equivalent to \code{breaks=n} (n scalar).
\item[\code{...}] further graphical parameters to \code{title} and \code{axis}.
\end{ldescription}
\end{Arguments}
\begin{Details}\relax
If \code{right = TRUE} (default), the histogram cells are intervals
of the form \code{(a,b]}, i.e. they include their right-hand endpoint,
but not their left one, with the exception of the first cell when
\code{include.lowest} is \code{TRUE}.

For \code{right = FALSE}, the intervals are of the form \code{[a,b)},
and \code{include.lowest} really has the meaning of
``\emph{include highest}''.\end{Details}
\begin{Value}
an object of class \code{"histogram"} which is a list with components:
\begin{ldescription}
\item[\code{breaks}] the \eqn{n+1}{} cell boundaries (= \code{breaks} if that
was a vector).
\item[\code{counts}] \eqn{n}{} integers; for each cell, the number of
\code{x[]} inside.
\item[\code{density}] values \eqn{\hat f(x_i)}{f^(x[i])}, as estimated
density values. If \code{all(diff(breaks) == 1)}, they are the
relative frequencies \code{counts/n} and in general satisfy
\eqn{\sum_i \hat f(x_i) (b_{i+1}-b_i) = 1}{sum[i; f^(x[i])
(b[i+1]-b[i])] = 1}, where \eqn{b_i}{b[i]} = \code{breaks[i]}.
\item[\code{intensities}] same as \code{density}. Deprecated, but retained
for compatibility.
\item[\code{mids}] the \eqn{n}{} cell midpoints.
\item[\code{xname}] a character string with the actual \code{x} argument name.
\item[\code{equidist}] logical, indicating if the distances between
\code{breaks} are all the same.
\end{ldescription}
\end{Value}
\begin{Note}\relax
The resulting value does \emph{not} depend on the values of
the arguments \code{freq} (or \code{probability})
or \code{plot}.  This is intentionally different from S.\end{Note}
\begin{SeeAlso}\relax
\code{\Link{stem}}, \code{\Link{density}}.\end{SeeAlso}
\begin{Examples}
\begin{ExampleCode}
data(islands)
op <- par(mfrow=c(2,2))
hist(islands)
str(hist(islands, col="gray", labels = TRUE))

hist(sqrt(islands), br = 12, col="lightblue", border="pink")
##-- For non-equidistant breaks, counts should NOT be graphed unscaled:
r <- hist(sqrt(islands), br = c(4* 0:5,10* 3:5,70,100,140), col='blue1')
text(r$mids, r$density, r$counts, adj=c(.5,-.5), col='blue3')
sapply(r[2:3],sum)
sum(r$density * diff(r$breaks)) # == 1
lines(r, lty = 3, border = "purple") # -> lines.histogram(*)
par(op)

str(hist(islands, plot= FALSE))        #-> 5  breaks
str(hist(islands, br=12, plot= FALSE)) #-> 10 (~= 12) breaks
str(hist(islands, br=c(12,20,36,80,200,1000,17000), plot = FALSE))
    hist(islands, br=c(12,20,36,80,200,1000,17000), freq = TRUE,
         main = "WRONG histogram") # and warning
\end{ExampleCode}
\end{Examples}

