Definition
Two-way table
A table that crosses two category questions so each inside cell counts cases meeting both labels.
| Year | Walk | Bus | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Year 6 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Total | 6 | 8 | 14 |
What it means
Read it like two questions crossing. Choose a row label, then a column label; the cell where they meet tells how many cases satisfy both. Totals at the edge answer just one question at a time, so do not mistake a row total for an inside cell.
Remember it
Two questions cross; the meeting cell means both.
Example
A survey records 14 students. Year 5 has 4 walkers and 3 bus riders; Year 6 has 2 walkers and 5 bus riders. The Year 6-and-Bus cell is 5. The Walk column total is 4 + 2 = 6, and the grand total is 14.
Watch for
A multiplication table is arranged in rows and columns, but it is not a two-way data table because its cells are products, not counts for two categorical variables.
Common mix-up
An inside cell combines both labels; a row or column total uses only one label.
Exact meaning
A two-way table classifies the same cases by two categorical variables: one variable labels the rows and the other labels the columns. Each body cell gives the joint frequency for its row-and-column combination; optional row, column, and grand totals give marginal and overall frequencies.