Final answer:
A contingency table is used to summarize the frequencies of two variables in bivariate analysis, assisting in the calculation of conditional probabilities and analyzing the dependency between variables.
Step-by-step explanation:
The function of a contingency table in the context of bivariate analysis is to summarize the frequencies of two variables so that they can be compared. Specifically, a contingency table, also known as a two-way table, organizes data to display sample values about two different variables that may be dependent or contingent upon each other. This facilitates the calculation of conditional probabilities and helps in determining how these variables may relate to each other in terms of dependency.
Conditional probabilities and dependent events are central to the concept of a contingency table. These tables allow us to easily identify joint frequencies, as well as marginal and conditional distributions. Consequently, it becomes simpler to visualize and compute probabilities, which is essential for various statistical methods, including tests of independence.