Descriptive Stats - Chapter 2 (Session 5) - Theory Flashcards
What is the definition of statistics as implied in the course introduction?
Statistics is the science of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data (implied from course context).
What is the primary purpose of descriptive statistics?
Descriptive statistics summarizes and describes data characteristics.
What is the difference between a sample and a population in statistical terms?
A sample is a subset of a population, which is the entire group of interest.
How does descriptive statistics differ from inferential statistics according to the course outcomes?
Descriptive statistics describes data; inferential statistics makes predictions or generalizations.
Why is visualization important in descriptive statistics?
Visualization helps reveal patterns and trends in data.
Name three common measures of central tendency mentioned in the document.
Mean, median, mode.
What does the mean measure in a dataset?
Mean measures the average value of a dataset.
What does the mode indicate about a dataset?
Mode is the most frequent value, indicating commonality.
How is the median defined in relation to a dataset?
Median is the middle value when data is ordered.
What are measures of dispersion, and why are they important?
Measures of dispersion show data spread; they assess consistency.
What does the range measure in a dataset?
Range is the difference between the highest and lowest values.
How is the interquartile range (IQR) defined?
IQR is the difference between the third and first quartiles (Q3 - Q1).
What is the purpose of calculating the quartile deviation?
Quartile deviation measures spread around the median, calculated as (Q3 - Q1) / 2.
What does standard deviation measure in terms of data spread?
Standard deviation measures how spread out data is from the mean.
How does variance relate to standard deviation?
Variance is the square of the standard deviation.
Why does higher dispersion lead to lower reliability of the central measure?
Higher dispersion means values are more scattered, reducing the mean’s representativeness.
What does it mean for a dataset to be more consistent based on standard deviation?
Lower standard deviation indicates values are closer to the mean, making it more consistent.
How can quartiles help in understanding data distribution?
Quartiles divide data into four parts, showing distribution spread.
What is the significance of identifying the most frequently occurring value in a dataset?
The mode highlights the most common value, useful for categorical data.
What are the ground rules for a statistics session as listed on Page 5, and why are they useful?
Rules: Be open-minded, use “I” statements, listen, one conversation, constructive feedback, share ideas, prepare tools, enjoy. They foster collaboration and learning.
