Chapter 1

Data and Statistics

1.1 Using Data to Answer Statistical Questions

1.2 Sample Versus Population
1.3 Using Calculators and Computers

1
What is Statistics

To baseball fans, a ball players statistics is the numbers

on the back of their cards.

These numbers may be the players hits, runs, errors and

so on
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What is Statistics
To business people, statistics may refers to sale charges
or business expenses..

These statistics can be in the form of numbers, or shown

graphically using charts or diagrams..
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What is Statistics
Statistics is the art and science of designing studies,
analyzing the data produced by these studies, translating
data into knowledge and understanding of the world
around us.

Components of Statistics
Design: Planning how to obtain data

Description: Summarizing and analyzing X i

the data obtained n

Inference: Making decisions and predictions

Estimation
Hypothesis Testing

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 Why is Statistics important?
Health study
Does a low-carbohydrate diet result in significant weight loss?

Market analysis
Are people more likely to stop at a Starbucks if theyve seen a recent
TV advertisement for their coffee?

Heart health
Does regular aspirin intake reduce deaths from heart attacks?

Cancer research
Are smokers more likely than non-smokers to develop lung cancer?

To search for answers to these questions,

we need
Statistics!
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 Example: Harvard Medical School study of Aspirin and
Heart attacks
Study participants were divided into two groups
Group 1: assigned to take aspirin
Group 2: assigned to take a placebo

Results:
The percentage of each group that had heart attacks
during the study:
0.9% for those taking aspirin
1.7% for those taking placebo

Can you conclude that it is beneficial for people to take

aspirin regularly?
Yes ?
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 Population & Sample
Population: All subjects of interest

Sample: Subset of the population form whom we have

data

Subjects: The entities (individuals, schools, rats, countries

or days) that we measure in a study.

The information we gather with experiments and

surveys is collectively called data. (the education level
for each individual; the average class size for each
school;)

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 Example: Preferred Car Color
The purpose was to discover the typical color of cars that is
preferred by Singapore residents.

We could define the population as Singapore adult residents

OR

The sample of residents we surveyed should be a

representative of the population. Important!

Question: Why
consider Sample?
Sample

Population
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8
 Descriptive Statistics and Inferential
Statistics
Descriptive Statistics refers to methods for summarizing
the collected data. Summaries consist of graphs and
numbers such as averages and percentages.

Inferential statistics refers to methods of making

decisions or predictions about a population based on data
obtained from a sample of that population.

s
s
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 Example: Preferred Car Color
Descriptive Statistics
About 42% residents
preferred the color silver
Pie chart
Or

Inferential statistics
Singapore residents preferred blue cars. Correct?
Or

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 Example: Descriptive Statistics

Types of U.S. Households, Based on a Sample of 50,000 Households in the 2005

Current Population Survey.

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 Example: Inferential Statistics

Suppose wed like to know what people think about

controls over the sales of handguns. We can study results
from a recent poll of 834 Florida residents.

In that poll, 54.0% of the sampled subjects said they

favored controls over the sales of handguns.

We are 95% confident that the percentage of all adult

Floridians favoring control over sales of handguns falls
between 50.6% and 57.4%.

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 Class Problem #1
Inferential Statistics are used:
1. To describe whether a sample has more females or
males. X
2. To reduce a data file to easily understood
summaries. X

3. To make predictions about populations using sample

data.
4. To predict the sample data we will get when we
know the population. X

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 Parameter & Statistic

A parameter is a numerical summary of the

population.

A statistic is a numerical summary of a sample

taken from the population.

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 Randomness and Variability
Random sampling allows us to make powerful inferences
about populations.

Randomness is also crucial to performing experiments

well

Measurements may vary from sample to sample.

Measurements may vary from person to person, and
just as people vary, so do samples vary.
Predictions will therefore be more accurate for larger
samples.

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 Using Calculators and Computers

Using (and Misusing) Statistics Software and

Calculators
MINITAB and SPSS are two popular statistical
software packages.

Using Technology
The problem is that a computer will perform the
statistical analysis you request whether or not its
use is valid for the given situation. You, not
technology, must select valid analyses.

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 Using Calculators and Computers

Data files
Large sets of data are typically organized in a
spreadsheet format known as a data file.
Each row contains measurements for a particular
subject.
Each column contains measurements for a
particular characteristic.
Databases
An existing archive collection of data files.
Not all databases give reliable information. Before
you give credence to such data, verify that the data
are from a trustworthy source.

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