Unit I

BASIC CONCEPTS IN STATISTICS

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this topic, students should be able to:

1. Define Statistics
2. Differentiate descriptive from inferential statistics
3. Identify population and sample, parameter and statistic
4. Give examples of population and sample, parameter and statistic, constant
and variable.

1.1. The Meaning of Statistics

Statistics is a body of methodology or techniques used in the collection,

presentation, analysis and interpretation of quantitative data.

When we talk of collection of data, we refer to the process of obtaining numerical

measurement. Presentation of data refers to the organization of data into tables,
graphs or charts so that logical and statistical conclusions can be derived from the
collected measurements. Analysis of data pertains to the process of extracting from
the given data relevant information from which numerical descriptions can be
formulated, and Interpretation of data refers to the task of drawing conclusions from
the analyzed data. It also normally involves the formulations of forecasts or prediction
about larger groups based on the data collected from small groups Pagoso et.al (1992)

1.2 Application of Statistics

Statistical methods are indispensable tools in many researches in education,

psychology, medicines, business,, agriculture and other disciplines. In school, statistics
is applied to formulate policies on admission and readmission of students ,to device a
system of measurement and evaluation, to construct instruments for measuring a
certain aspects of student’s development etc. In business, it enables managers to make
a wise decision in the face of risks and insurmountable uncertainties .Medical
researchers use statistical tools to evaluate the effectiveness of some medical practices

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in the prevention of particular diseases and to test the effectiveness of drugs and many
others.

1.3 Two Areas of Statistics

Descriptive Statistics and Inferential Statistics

1.3.1. Descriptive statistics summarizes or describes the important

characteristics of a known set of data. For example the national statistics office
conducts surveys to determine the average age, income and other characteristics of the
Filipino population. The construction of tables, charts, graphs, and other relevant
computations in various newspapers and magazines usually fall under the area of
descriptive statistics.

1.3.2. Inferential statistics is concerned with the formulation of conclusions or

generalizations about a population based on an observation or series of observations of
a sample drawn from the population .Performs hypothesis testing, determines
relationships among variables, and making predictions. This kind of statistics uses the
concept of probability- the chance of an event to happen.

The following are examples of a situation where it involves the use of inferential
statistics:

1. The manager of a department store records the number of buying customers

daily for eight consecutive weeks and then estimates the average number of
buying costumers for the following weeks.
2. A result of recent cutbacks by the oil-producing nations, we can expect the
price of gasoline to double in the next year.

1.4. Population and Sample

Population refers to the complete set of individuals, objects, people, animals,
materials or events under study. It represents everyone, everything in the study.

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 Sample refers to the few members of the population that represent their
characteristics or traits. It is a subset of a population or it represents a small portion of
a population.

EXAMPLE:
POPULATION SAMPLE
1. All students enrolled in CSU ------- All students enrolled in CSU- Carig
Campus
Note: Students enrolled in other CSU
campuses can be a sample
2. All people residing in Tuguegarao City - All people residing in Linao,
Tuguegarao City
Note : All people residing in every
barangay of Tuguegarao City
can be a sample
1.5. Parameter and Statistic

Parameter are characteristics that describe a population.

Statistic are characteristics that describe a sample.

Examples:
Parameter Statistic
1. The mean IQ Score of all Students of CSU. The mean IQ Score of all
students at CSU- Carig
2.The average income of all people residing The average income of people
in Tuguegarao City residing in Barangay Linao

Other Examples:
Let’s say in town XYZ with 100,000 people and we wish to estimate the average age of
the 100,000 residents in town XYZ . It would be a lot of work getting the age of each
individual and get the average of 100,000 people but instead let’s talk with 100 people

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and ask their ages and get the average. The average age of these 100 individuals is a
statistic. The true average age of 100,000 people is a parameter.
parameter
100,000
statistic
100

Now let’s talk about some variables that would also highlight the differences
between statistic and parameter
Statistic Parameter
Sample Population
X mean of a sample  Mean of a population
S standard deviation of a sample  standard deviation of a
population
2 2
S Variance of a sample  variance of a population
n size of a sample N size of a population

Hopefully these symbols would help you see the difference between a sample and
population and statistic and parameter.

1.6. Variable and Constant

The term constant refers to a property or characteristic whereby members of a
group do not differ from one another.

Example: Third year students composing a class may not differ in terms of the course
they are taking. Hence, course and year level are constants.
The term variable refers to a characteristic whereby the members of a group differ
from one another.

Example: Religion, Memory of a group of people, attitude of a group of employees

towards their work, dialect, age etc.

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Note: Sex in a group of boys and girls is a variable but it becomes constant in a group
of boys alone or in a group of girls alone.

EXERCISES:

A. Classifying Descriptive and Inferential Statistics, Population and Sample ,

parameter and statistic

1.1 Classify the following as descriptive or inferential statistics:

1. An English teacher employs one teaching technique in one class and

another teaching technique in another class and then gives the same
examination. Using the results, he determines which technique is more
effective.
2. A PBA basketball fan computes the shooting average of his favorite player
during the last PBA season. As a result of the recent cutbacks by the oil
producing nations, we can expect the price of gasoline to double next year.
3. As a result of the recent cutbacks by the oil producing nations, we can expect
the price of gasoline to double next year.

1.2 Classify each as population or sample:

_______1. A group of students selected to test a new teaching technique

_______2. The total number of machines produced by a factory in one week.
______ 3. The yearly expenditures on food for 10 families.

1.3 Classify each as parameter or statistic

_______1. The average weight of all males in the Philippines.
_______2. The average height of 100 males in the Philippines.
_______3. The average age of 20 students in a class of 50.