1: Stats Starts Here

Question 1

What do people around the world have in common regarding information?

Answer 1

They all want to figure out what’s going on.

Question 2

What is the relationship between the amount of information available and the need to understand it?

Answer 2

As the amount of information grows, so does our need to understand what it can tell us.

Question 3

What is data?

Answer 3

Any collection of numbers, characters, images, or other items that provide information about something.

Question 4

What is the primary purpose of Statistics?

Answer 4

To help make sense of the world by finding patterns and relationships in data.

Question 5

How does Statistics help us understand variation?

Answer 5

By seeing past the underlying variation to find patterns and relationships.

Question 6

What do personalized ads on platforms like Facebook indicate about user data?

Answer 6

Much personal information has been sold to marketing or tracking companies.

Question 7

Why does Facebook provide free accounts to users?

Answer 7

Because user data are valuable.

Question 8

What type of profile might a company build using your Facebook data?

Answer 8

A profile of your interests and activities, including movies, sports, age, sex, education level, hobbies, and friends.

Question 9

What metaphor is used to describe user data in the text?

Answer 9

User data are compared to gold ore, which can be mined for valuable insights.

Question 10

Fill in the blank: Statistics helps us to make sense of the world by seeing past the underlying _______.

Answer 10

variation.

Question 11

True or False: Statistics can be used to create a coherent picture from random pieces of information.

Answer 11

False.

Question 12

What is the ultimate goal of learning Statistics according to the text?

Answer 12

To turn data into a powerful, effective approach to understanding the world.

Question 13

What is Statistics?

Answer 13

Statistics is a way of reasoning, along with a collection of tools and methods, designed to help us understand the world.

Question 14

What are statistics?

Answer 14

Statistics (plural) are particular calculations made from data.

Question 15

What is data?

Answer 15

Data are values along with their context.

Question 16

What is the singular form of data?

Answer 16

Datum

Question 17

What does Statistics help us understand?

Answer 17

Statistics helps us understand and model variation.

Question 18

Why do data vary?

Answer 18

Data vary because we don’t see everything, and because even what we do see and measure, we measure imperfectly.

Question 19

How did texting drivers compare to drunk drivers in terms of reaction times?

Answer 19

Texting drivers responded more slowly and were more dangerous than those who were above the legal limit for alcohol.

Question 20

What can Statistics help individuals become?

Answer 20

More informed citizens.

Question 21

What types of real-world questions does Statistics help answer?

Answer 21

Questions about risk assessment, predictions, and effects of interventions.

Question 22

In a summary of disciplines, what is Statistics about?

Answer 22

Variation.

Question 23

Fill in the blank: Statistics is about _______.

Answer 23

Variation

Question 24

What is the purpose of Statistics according to the text?

Answer 24

To give tools to understand, question, and interpret data.

Question 25

What is the primary factor behind Amazon's success?

Answer 25

Data

Question 26

What are two types of data mentioned?

Answer 26

* Numerical data * Non-numerical data (e.g., name and address)

Question 27

What is the importance of context in data interpretation?

Answer 27

Without context, values are meaningless

Question 28

What are the 'Five W's' that establish context in data?

Answer 28

* Who * What * When * Where * Why

Question 29

What do the rows of a data table correspond to?

Answer 29

Individual cases

Question 30

What are the characteristics recorded in a data table called?

Answer 30

Variables

Question 31

Fill in the blank: The 'what' of the study refers to _______.

Answer 31

[variables]

Question 32

True or False: The values displayed in a data table are always meaningful without additional context.

Answer 32

False

Question 33

What are individuals who answer a survey called?

Answer 33

Respondents

Question 34

What term is used for people on whom we experiment?

Answer 34

Subjects or participants

Question 35

What are animals, plants, websites, and other inanimate subjects often referred to as?

Answer 35

Experimental units

Question 36

What is the most generic term used for cases in data?

Answer 36

Cases

Question 37

In a database, what are rows called?

Answer 37

Records

Question 38

What do the rows in a dataset represent?

Answer 38

The who of the data

Question 39

What does each row of data typically contain information about?

Answer 39

A single case

Question 40

What may indicate the identity of a case in a data row?

Answer 40

The first column, often the order number

Question 41

Why is it important for a sample of cases to be representative of a larger population?

Answer 41

To generalize from the sample to the larger population

Question 42

What is one key aspect to understand when analyzing data?

Answer 42

Who and what to analyze

Question 43

What additional context about data can enhance understanding?

Answer 43

When and where the data were collected

Question 44

Why might values recorded in different years have different meanings?

Answer 44

Contextual factors like time and location

Question 45

What is a primary concern of Statistics regarding data?

Answer 45

The design of sound methods for collecting data

Question 46

What should you identify as a habit when introducing data?

Answer 46

The W's (and H) of the data

Question 47

What are the three steps broken down in guided examples throughout the book?

Answer 47

* Think * Show * Tell

Question 48

What is the first step of any data analysis?

Answer 48

Know what you are trying to accomplish and why

Question 49

Fill in the blank: Knowing the _______ of data is essential for understanding.

Answer 49

[who and what]

Question 50

What are characteristics recorded about each individual called?

Answer 50

Variables ## Footnote Variables are usually found as the columns of a data table.

Question 51

What type of variables tell us what group or category each individual belongs to?

Answer 51

Categorical Variables ## Footnote These are also known as qualitative or nominal variables.

Question 52

Give an example of a categorical variable.

Answer 52

Province ## Footnote The values of categorical variables are often text.

Question 53

What are area codes considered in terms of variable types?

Answer 53

Categorical Variable ## Footnote Area codes categorize phone numbers into geographical regions, even though they are numeric.

Question 54

True or False: Area codes were originally assigned based on the population of their regions.

Answer 54

True ## Footnote Lower digits were assigned to populous regions to reduce wear on dials.

Question 55

What type of responses often yield categorical values?

Answer 55

Descriptive Responses ## Footnote Examples include questions about cell phone providers or marital status.

Question 56

What is counted to summarize a categorical variable like Shipping Method?

Answer 56

Number of Purchases Shipped in Each Category ## Footnote This helps Amazon analyze past shipping methods.

Question 57

What do we call a variable that contains measured numerical values with measurement units?

Answer 57

Quantitative Variable ## Footnote Quantitative variables record an amount or degree of something.

Question 58

Fill in the blank: For quantitative variables, its measurement units provide a meaning for the _______.

Answer 58

Numbers ## Footnote Units are crucial for understanding the scale of measurement.

Question 59

Why do units matter for quantitative variables?

Answer 59

They provide meaning to the numbers ## Footnote Without units, the values have no context or significance.

Question 60

Aside from measurement, how else can quantitative variables arise?

Answer 60

Counting ## Footnote Counts also measure the amounts of things.

Question 61

What are the two types of variables discussed in relation to numeric values?

Answer 61

Categorical and quantitative

Question 62

How can a numeric variable sometimes be treated differently?

Answer 62

As categorical or quantitative depending on the question we want to ask

Question 63

What are the categories used for age when treated as categorical?

Answer 63

* Child * Teen * Adult * Senior

Question 64

What is an identifier variable?

Answer 64

A variable used solely to uniquely identify each case

Question 65

Why does Amazon assign unique identifiers to customers?

Answer 65

To avoid confusing customers and to send the right products

Question 66

What is the Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN)?

Answer 66

A unique identifier assigned to each item carried by Amazon

Question 67

What is the purpose of identifier variables in large data sets?

Answer 67

To uniquely identify cases, combine data from different sources, and protect privacy

Question 68

What is a relational database?

Answer 68

A database where different data tables link to one another by matching identifiers

Question 69

In the context of analyzing CDs, when is ASIN treated as a categorical variable?

Answer 69

When determining the best-selling CD

Question 70

When is ASIN used as an identifier variable?

Answer 70

When examining the range of prices for CDs

Question 71

What is the role of an IP address in the context of identifiers?

Answer 71

To ensure electronic messages find the correct recipient

Question 72

Fill in the blank: A variable like Student ID is classified as a _______.

Answer 72

[identifier variable]

Question 73

True or False: Identifier variables provide useful information about categories.

Answer 73

False

Question 74

What is an example of an ordinal variable in a course evaluation survey?

Answer 74

Responses indicating perceived educational value: 1 = Worthless; 2 = Slightly; 3 = Middling; 4 = Reasonably; 5 = Invaluable ## Footnote Ordinal variables reflect a ranked order of values.

Question 75

How can Educational Value be treated in a study?

Answer 75

It can be treated as either categorical or quantitative depending on the study's purpose ## Footnote If counting responses, it is categorical; if measuring improvement, it is quantitative.

Question 76

Why should one be cautious when treating Educational Value as quantitative?

Answer 76

There are no natural units for educational value, making it arbitrary ## Footnote Without natural units, the concept of 'educational value units' becomes subjective.

Question 77

What are ordinal variables often classified as?

Answer 77

A subclass of categorical variables ## Footnote Along with nominal variables, since both arise from categorizing cases.

Question 78

What is the key consideration when deciding how to treat a variable?

Answer 78

Look to the why of your study and what you want to learn from the variable ## Footnote This helps determine whether to treat it as categorical or quantitative.

Question 79

Fill in the blank: Variables that report order without natural units are often called _______.

Answer 79

ordinal variables ## Footnote Ordinal variables provide a ranking but lack a definitive measurement scale.

Question 80

True or False: Ordinal variables can never be treated as quantitative.

Answer 80

False ## Footnote They can be treated as quantitative depending on the study's context and purpose.