ELEMENTARY

STATISTICS
PICTURING THE WORLD
Fifth Edition

Ron Larson
The Pennsylvania State University
The Behrend College

Betsy Farber
Bucks County Community College
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Larson, Ron, 1941-
Elementary statistics : picturing the world / Ron Larson, Betsy Farber. -- 5th ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-321-69362-4
1. Statistics--Textbooks. I. Farber, Elizabeth. II. Title.
QA276.12.L373 2012
519.5--dc22
2010000454

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 ABOUT THE AUTHORS III

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Ron Larson received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of

Colorado in 1970. At that time he accepted a position with Penn State
University, and he currently holds the rank of professor of mathematics
at the university. Larson is the lead author of more than two dozen
mathematics textbooks that range from sixth grade through calculus
levels. Many of his texts, such as the eighth edition of his calculus
text, are leaders in their markets. Larson is also one of the pioneers in
the use of multimedia and the Internet to enhance the learning of
mathematics. He has authored multimedia programs, extending from
the elementary school through calculus levels. Larson is a member of
several professional groups and is a frequent speaker at national and
regional mathematics meetings.

Ron Larson
The Pennsylvania State
University
The Behrend College

Betsy Farber received her Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Penn

State University and her Master’s degree in mathematics from the College
of New Jersey. Since 1976, she has been teaching all levels of mathematics
at Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pennsylvania, where
she currently holds the rank of professor. She is particularly interested in
developing new ways to make statistics relevant and interesting to her
students and has been teaching statistics in many different modes—with
the TI-83 Plus, with MINITAB, and by distance learning as well as in the
traditional classroom. A member of the American Mathematical
Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC), she is an author of
The Student Edition to MINITAB and A Guide to MINITAB. She served
as consulting editor for Statistics, A First Course and has written
computer tutorials for the CD-ROM correlating to the texts in the
Streeter Series in mathematics.
Betsy Farber
Bucks County
Community College
CONTENTS
Preface X How To Study Statistics XV
Supplements XII Index of Applications XVI
Acknowledgments XIV

PART ONE DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS

INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS
1
C H A P T E R
Where You’ve Been and Where You’re Going
1.1 An Overview of Statistics
1
2
1.2 Data Classification 9
 Case Study: Rating Television Shows in the United States 15
1.3 Data Collection and Experimental Design 16
 Activity:Random Numbers 26
 Uses and Abuses 27
Chapter Summary 28
Review Exercises 29
Chapter Quiz 31
 Real Statistics–Real Decisions—Putting It All Together 32
 History of Statistics—Timeline 33
 Technology: Using Technology in Statistics 34

DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS 36
2
C H A P T E R
Where You’ve Been and Where You’re Going
2.1 Frequency Distributions and Their Graphs
37
38
2.2 More Graphs and Displays 53
2.3 Measures of Central Tendency 65
 Activity: Mean Versus Median 79
2.4 Measures of Variation 80
 Activity:Standard Deviation 98
 Case Study: Earnings of Athletes 99
2.5 Measures of Position 100
 Uses and Abuses 113
Chapter Summary 114
Review Exercises 115
Chapter Quiz 119
 Real Statistics–Real Decisions—Putting It All Together 120
 Technology: Monthly Milk Production 121
 Using Technology to Determine Descriptive Statistics 122
Cumulative Review: Chapters 1–2 124

IV