Greg 4171
Unit-one
Introduction to Statistics
1. Definition
• The term statistics have two definitions;
– When used in singular sense
– When used in its plural sense
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Definition …
Statistics in its singular sense:
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Steps …
1. Collection of data
The process of obtaining measurements or counts.
2. Organization of data
Includes editing, classifying, and tabulating the data
collected.
3. Presentation of data:
overall view of what the data actually looks like.
facilitate further statistical analysis.
Can be done in the form of tables and graphs or
diagrams.
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Steps …
4. Analysis of data
To dig out useful information for decision making
It involves extracting relevant information from the
data (like mean, median, mode, range, variance…),
5. Interpretation of data
Concerned with drawing conclusions from the data
collected and analyzed; and giving meaning to
analysis results.
A difficult task and requires a high degree of skill and
experience.
Branches of Statistics
Descriptive statistics
Inferential statistics
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Classes of statistics
Descriptive statistics
A statistical method that is concerned with the
collection, organization, summarization, and analysis
of data from a sample of population.
Inferential statistics
A statistical method that is concerned with the
drawing conclusions/infering about a particular
population by selecting and measuring a random
sample from the population.
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Types of Variables and Measurement Scales
A variable is a characteristic or attribute that can assume different
values in different persons, places, or things.
Examples :
age,
diastolic blood pressure,
heart rate,
the height of adult males,
the weights of preschool children,
gender of statistics students,
marital status of instructors at Bahirdar University,
ethnic group of patients
Data refers to a collection of facts, values, observations, or
measurements that the variables can assume.
3. Types of Variables/Data
1. Qualitative Variables/data
Non-numeric variables and can't be measured.
Examples: gender, religious affiliation, and state of birth,
marital status of patients,
2. Quantitative Variables/data
numerical variables and can be measured. E.g.
balance in checking account, number of children in
family.
Either discrete (Assuming only count values) or
continuous, which can assume any value within a
specific range.
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Discrete Variables
• are variables which assume a finite or countable number of
possible values.
• are usually obtained by counting.
• is characterized by gaps or interruptions in the values that it
can assume. These gaps or interruptions indicate the absence
of values between particular values that the variable can
assume.
Example:
• The number of daily admissions to a general hospital, and
• The number of first year statistics students
• The number of decayed, missing or filled teeth per child in an
elementary school.
Continuous Variables
• are variables which assume an infinite number of
possible values between any two specific values.
• are usually obtained by measurement.
• does not possess the gaps or interruptions
characteristic of a discrete variable.
Example:
• Weight, age, length, temperature, weight, speed,
salary and mark of students
Types of Data…
B. On the basis of the measurement scales :
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Types of Data…
2. Ordinal scale
Categorization and ranking (ordering)
observations is possible.
We can talk of greater than or less than and it
conveys meaning to the value but;
Impossible to express the real difference between
measurements in numerical terms.
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Types of Data…
3. Interval Scale
– Possible to categorize, rank and tell the real
distance between any two measurements.
– Zero is not absolute.
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Types of Data…
4. Ratio scale
– The highest level of measurement scale,
characterized by the fact that equality of ratios as
well as equality of intervals can be determined.
– There is a true zero point. i.e. zero is absolute.
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Types of Data…
C. On the basis of their source :
1. Primary data
Data generated for the first time primarily/originally for
the study in question.
2. Secondary data
Data obtained from other pre-existing/ priorly collected
sources.
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