This week you will explore the wonderful world of descriptive statistics. You may not have noticed how often you are presented with statistics in a variety of contexts, with statements that start out like “Statistics show that…”
Respond to the following question in a minimum of 175 words:
Here are few examples of the kinds of things that you may have heard attached to such a statement. Some of these statements are true, some of them are either not true or misleading.
You only use 10% of your brain
4 out 5 dentists recommend sugarless gum to their patients who chew gum
Airplanes are the safest way to travel
Workers with a bachelor’s degree earn more
Colorado receives 300 days of sunshine per year
You are more likely to be hit by lightning than win the lottery
Select one statement from the list. Suppose you had an opportunity to interview someone who claims to be behind a set of statistics supporting the statement.
What questions would you want to ask the person about the statistical evidence for the statment?
What aspects of the statistic would you tell the person that you are uncomfortable with?
What questions would you ask about the assumptions that were made when generating the statistic?
What sorts information about the statistic might you want to research on your own in order to make a decision about the validity of that statement for yourself? Be sure to use concepts and vocabulary from this week to guide your response. (Please note that the textbook’s term of subpopulation is not a term that statisticians use – the proper term is sample.)
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