Which term describes a two-way frequency distribution that shows the joint distribution of values for two variables?

The term that describes a two-way frequency distribution showing the joint distribution of values for two variables is crosstabulation. This method is essential in statistical analysis because it allows researchers to examine the relationships between two categorical variables side-by-side. By presenting the data in a matrix format, crosstabulation helps to visualize how the values of one variable correspond to the values of another, making it easier to identify patterns, trends, and correlations between the variables.

Crosstabulation is especially beneficial in mass appraisal and similar fields, as it can help in summarizing data and presenting it in a way that supports decision-making based on the interaction of multiple factors. Through this method, analysts can derive insights that may not be evident when looking at each variable separately.

The other terms do not adequately describe the joint distribution of values for two variables in the same way. A scatter diagram is typically used to represent the relationship between two continuous variables, rather than providing a frequency distribution. A frequency table summarizes how many times each value occurs for a single variable, lacking the two-way comparison. Differential analysis often relates to comparing the differences in cost or revenue between two alternatives, which is separate from the focus of data distribution across two variables.