STAT:2010/4200, Statistical Methods and Computing

Homework 1
Please put your name and your session number (A11, A12, or A13) at the top of your homework.
No computer software such as SAS is needed to complete this homework.

1. Identify each of the following variables as nominal, ordinal, binary, quantitative discrete, or
quantitative continuous:

(a) number of piglets in a litter

(b) whether or not a person has a high school diploma
(c) the major of an undergrad quantitative science student (can take on values “computer
science,” “math”, “statistics,” “actuarial science”)
(d) weight of an elephant in kilograms
(e) rating of a performer in a musical competition (can take on values “superior,” “excel-
lent,” “good,” “fair,” “poor”)

2. For the same data used to draw the time plot on p.32 of our chap1-2 lecture notes, sketch a
histogram instead. Point out the location of the mean and the median. (The data came from
one column of amazon.dat in ICON.)

3. Textbook problems: 1.14, 1.15, 1.16, 1.26, 1.27, 1.40.

Below are practice problems (no need to submit):

1. textbook: 1.33, 1.43, 1.45 (For 1.45(a), a very rough sketch of the plot by hand is enough.
But do label things clearly.)

2. On p.21 of our chap1-2 lecture notes, frequency tables are used to compare the distribution of
sodium levels of cereals from three manufactures. Now visualize the comparison by sketching
three histograms. Pay attention to the placement of the three histograms for your visualization
to be as informative as possible.

3. Refer to the BaP study in chap1-2 notes page 30-31. In the notes, we saw the stem plots for
indoor and outdoor BaP levels respectively. Come up with graphs that could help compare
indoor and outdoor BaP levels. Pay attention to the fact that within any given row of this data
set, the indoor and outdoor measurements were obtained at the same day.