Description
TO THE READER
We are going to tell you about some interesting problems which have been studied with the help of statistical methods, and show you how to use these methods yourself. We will try to explain why the methods work, and what to watch out for when others use them. Mathematical notation only seems to confuse things for many people, so this book relies on words, charts, and tables; there are hardly any x’s or y’s. As a matter of fact, even when professional mathematicians read technical books, their eyes tend to skip over the equations. What they really want is a sympathetic friend who will explain the ideas and draw the pictures behind the equations. We will try to be that friend, for those who read our book.
WHAT IS STATISTICS?
Statistics is the art of making numerical conjectures about puzzling questions
• What are the effects of new medical treatments?
• What causes the resemblance between parents and children, and how strong is that force?
• Why does the casino make a profit at roulette?
• Who is going to win the next election? by how much?
• How many people are employed? unemployed?