How do you create a histogram in SAS?

To create a histogram in SAS, one effective method is through the use of PROC SGPLOT. This procedure is designed to produce a variety of graphs, including histograms, providing a straightforward and modern approach to visualizing data distributions. With PROC SGPLOT, you can easily specify variables and customize the appearance of the histogram with options for binning and coloring.

Using the HISTOGRAM statement in PROC UNIVARIATE is also valid for creating histograms, as it is specifically tailored for exploring the distribution of a single variable. However, PROC SGPLOT is generally preferred for creating a wider range of graphical outputs, making it more versatile for data visualization in various contexts.

The use of PROC FREQ is more suited for generating frequency tables and bar charts, while the GCHART procedure focuses on creating traditional charts like pie and bar graphs, but not histograms explicitly. These alternative procedures do not encompass the same capabilities for histogram creation that PROC SGPLOT offers, which is why the former is not the best choice for this task.