Displaying the Order in a Group of Numbers using Tables and Graphs Key Terms

Question 1

Bar chart

Answer 1

A diagram consisting of bars of equal width representing the frequencies (or relative frequencies) for particular categories. The bar heights are proportional to the frequencies.

Question 2

Bimodal Distribution

Answer 2

Frequency distribution with two approximately equal frequencies, each clearly larger than the others.

Question 3

Categorical Variable

Answer 3

Any variable made up of categories of objects/entities.

Question 4

Ceiling Effect

Answer 4

Situation in which many scores pile up at the high end of a distribution (creating skewness) because it is not possible to have a higher score.

Question 5

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 5

Branch of statistics that includes procedures for summarizing, organizing, and simplifying data making them more comprehensible.

Question 6

Discrete Variable

Answer 6

A variable that can only take on certain values (usually whole numbers) on the scale.

Question 7

Equal-Interval Variable

Answer 7

Level of measurement where data can be ordered and you can calculate meaningful differences but the zero does not represent the absence of what is being measured.

Question 8

Floor Effect

Answer 8

Situation in which many scores pile up at the low-end of a distribution (creating skewness) because it is not possible to have any lower score.

Question 9

Frequency Distribution

Answer 9

Is a table that shows classes or intervals of the data entries with a count of the number of entries in each class. The frequency of a class is the number of data entries in that class.

Question 10

Frequency Table

Answer 10

Is a table that shows classes or intervals of data entities with a count of the number (frequency) of entities in each class.

Question 11

Grouped Frequency Table

Answer 11

Frequency table in which the number of entities (frequency) is given for each interval of values.

Question 12

Histogram

Answer 12

Bar graph that represents the frequency distribution of a data set and is used for continuous data.

Question 13

Inferential Statistics

Answer 13

Branch of statistics that consists of techniques that allow us to study samples and then make generalizations about the population from which they were selected.

Question 14

Interval

Answer 14

Range of values in a grouped frequency table that are grouped together.

Question 15

Levels of Measurement

Answer 15

Four rules used to assign a value to a variable.

Question 16

Measurement

Answer 16

Assigning a value to a variable according to a rule.

Question 17

Nominal (categorical) Variable

Answer 17

Level of measurement where the data are simply number names and the variable values are categories only.

Question 18

Normal Curve

Answer 18

A frequency distribution that is approximately symmetric and mound shaped, often called the Bell Curve.

Question 19

Numeric (Quantitative) Variable

Answer 19

Variables whose values are meaningful numbers.

Question 20

Pie Chart

Answer 20

A circle that is divided into sectors that represent categories. The area of each sector is proportional to the frequency of each category.

Question 21

Relative frequency

Answer 21

The portion or percentage of the data that falls into a particular class. To find the relative frequency within a class divide the frequency in the class by the sample size.

Question 22

Qualitative Research

Answer 22

Extrapolating evidence for a theory from what people say or write.

Question 23

Quantitative Research

Answer 23

Inferring evidence for a theory through measurement of variables that produce numeric outcomes.

Question 24

Rank-order (Ordinal) Variable

Answer 24

Level of measurement where the data can only be ordered or ranked.

Question 25

Ratio Scale

Answer 25

Level of measurement for an equal interval variable but has an absolute zero point, meaning that the value of zero on the variable indicates a complete absence of the variable.

Question 26

Score

Answer 26

Particular person’s value on a variable.

Question 27

Skewed Distribution

Answer 27

Distribution in which the scores pile up on one side of the middle and are spread out on the other side; distribution that is not symmetrical.

Question 28

Statistics

Answer 28

Branch of mathematics that focuses on the organization, analysis, and interpretation of a group of numbers.

Question 29

Symmetrical Distribution

Answer 29

Distribution in which a pattern of frequencies on the left and right side arm your images of each other.

Question 30

Unimodal Distribution

Answer 30

A frequency distribution with one value clearly having a larger frequency that any other.

Question 31

Values

Answer 31

Possible number or category that a data element can have.

Question 32

Variable

Answer 32

Characteristic that can be measured and have different values, either across people or time.