What does the PROC FREQ statement allow you to do in SAS?

PROC FREQ is a powerful procedure in SAS specifically designed for generating frequency distributions of categorical variables. This procedure allows users to analyze the distribution of values within a variable, showing how often each value occurs. The output of PROC FREQ includes frequency counts and percentages, which are valuable for understanding the data's characteristics and making informed decisions based on that data.

Using PROC FREQ, you can not only view the frequency of individual categories but also analyze the relationships between multiple categorical variables through cross-tabulations. This is particularly useful in exploratory data analysis, as it allows researchers to discern patterns and trends within their data.

The other options refer to functionalities that are handled by different procedures in SAS. For example, regression analysis is conducted using PROC REG or PROC GLM, while summary statistics for numeric variables are generated using PROC MEANS or PROC SUMMARY. Data visualization is typically accomplished through procedures like PROC SGPLOT or PROC CHART. Thus, the primary focus of PROC FREQ remains on frequency distribution, making it essential for categorical data analysis.