1.1 Basic Definitions and Concepts back to top. In statistics we use a small representative "sample" to study a big "population." The reason for this is the cost or ...Math365,ElementaryStatistics  Home  Lesson1 Lesson2 Lesson3 Lesson4 Lesson5 Lesson6 Lesson7 Lesson8 Lesson9 symbols  Lesson1:TheLanguageandTerminologyIntroduction1.1Definitions&Concepts1.2FrequencyDistribution1.3PictorialRepresentationofDataHomework1-3IntroductionMostpeoplethinkofstatisticsasthestudyofthenumericalfeaturesofasubject/population.Itmeansthesametostatisticians,butalsoemphasizesthemethodsofcollectingdata,summarizingandpresentingdata,anddrawinginferencesfromdata.WeallseeonTVhowpoliticalpunditsjustifyopposingpointsofviewbypresentingstatisticsfromrespectablesources.Howcouldsomethingbeasciencewhenitjustifiestwoopposingpointsofview?Theansweristhatstatisticshasascientificbasisbutitcanbemisrepresentedinuse.Example.DuringthesagaofPresidentClinton'simpeachment,weobservedthefollowing:Onepunditsaysthat,accordingtostatistics,themajorityofAmericansthinkthatcharactermatters.Theotherpunditsays,alsoaccordingtostatistics,thatthemajorityofAmericansthinkthepresidentisdoingagoodjob.Theimplicationhereisthatoneofthemwas"wrong."Butthescienceofstatisticssaysthatbothwerecorrect.Datawascollectedandanalyzed,anditwasfoundthatthemajorityofAmericansthinkthatcharactermattersandthatthemajorityofAmericansthinkthepresidentisdoingagoodjob.ItdoesnotmattertothescienceofstatisticswhichoneofthestatisticallyestablishedfactsyouorIwanttobelieve.Anotherpointaboutthenatureofstatisticsasascienceisthatitisnotadeterministicscience.Itdoesnothavelawslikeforceisequaltomasstimesacceleration.Statementsinstatisticscomewithaprobability(i.e.,quantifiedchance)ofbeingcorrect.Whenaweathermansaysthatitwillraintodayhemeansthatthereis,say,aninetyfivepercentchancethatitwillraintoday.Roughly,thismeansthatifhemakesthesamepredictiononehundredtimeshewillbecorrect95times,anditwillnotraintheother5days.Theproblemisthatsometimesaweathermanwillhidetheinformati