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➢ Lesson 1: MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS

Llego, Maximo Jr. A.

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
✓ 1.1. define Statistics correctly;
✓ 1.2. discuss the history and give scope of Statistics;
✓ 1.3 differentiate the two branches of Statistics; and
✓ 1.4 relate the significance of Statistics in everyday life.

Let’s Engage!
ACTIVITY.
Consider the works statisticians do. Study the graph and information below as
some results of their work then asnwer the processing questions that follow.

https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/philippines-demographics/

Philippines Population

❖ The current population of the Philippines is 109,933,944 as of Tuesday, September 29,

2020, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.
❖ The Philippines 2020 population is estimated at 109,581,078 people at mid year
according to UN data.
❖ The Philippines population is equivalent to 1.41% of the total world population.
❖ The Philippines ranks number 13 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by
population.
❖ The population density in the Philippines is 368 per Km2 (952 people per mi2).
❖ The total land area is 298,170 Km2 (115,124 sq. miles)
❖ 47.5 % of the population is urban (52,008,603 people in 2020)
❖ The median age in the Philippines is 25.7 years.
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/philippines-population/
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Processing Questions:
1. How do statisticians came up with those information?
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2. What do statisticians do for people to understand the information (or data) easily?
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3. Why do they do such work?

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4. Based from your answers in numbers 1 to 3, what is STATISTICS?

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5. When did Statistics start? How was it used?

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6. How important Statistics is? Why?

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Let’s Discuss!

Definition of Statistics
Statistics is a branch of mathematics that deals with the scientific collection, tabulation or
organization and classification, presentation, analysis, and interpretation of numerical facts or
data in order to obtain useful and meaningful information when making decisions in the face
of uncertainty and that, by use of mathematical theories of probability, imposes order and
regularity on aggregates of more or less disparate elements. (Orines and Esparrago, 2008;
Daňas & Daňas, 2015; https://www.dictionary.com/browse/statistics).
Statistics pertains to a scientific and systematics method of processing numerical and
quantitative information for a more accurate decision making.
Collection of data refers to the process of obtaining information.
Organization of data refers to the ascertaining manner of presenting the data into tables
(tabulation), graphs, or charts so that logical and statistical conclusions can be
drawn from the collected measurements.
Analysis of data refers to the process of extracting from the given data relevant information
from which numerical description can be formulated.
Interpretation of data refers to the task of drawing conclusions from the analyzed data.

Brief History of Statistics

The processing of statistical information has a history that extends back to the beginning
of humanity.
Before 3000 B.C. the Babylonians used small clay tablets to record tabulations of agricultural
yields and of commodities. The Egyptians analyzed the population and material wealth of their
country before building a pyramid.
As early as 3800 B.C. there were records of population in Babylonia and China.
Aside from secular records, common use of simple form of Statistics could be seen in biblical
times such as the one recorded in Numbers 31:25-41 when, during the time of Moses, statistics
were gathered for purposes such as taxation, military service and priestly duties. Census was
also undertaken by Moses in 1491 B.C. and by David in 1017 B.C.
In 270-230 BC, during the reign of the northern Hindustan King Asoka, Indian literature also
described methods of taking census.
The Athenians and other ancient Greeks conducted the census in times of stress, counting the
adult male citizens in war time and the general populace every time the food supply was
endangered.
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The Romans registered adult males and their property for military and administrative purposes.
The sixt King of Rome, Servinus Tullius (578-534 B.C), was given credit for instituting the
gathering of population data. Two thousand years ago, each male in the Roman Empire had to
return to the city of his birth to be counted and taxed. Thus, the Bible gives account of the return
of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem for such purpose, (The Holy Bible, Luke 2:4-5).
In the Middle Ages, registrations of Land ownership and manpower for wars were made.
In the 13th century, tax lists of Paris included the registration of those who were subjected to tax.
In England , William the Conqueror required the compilation of information on population and

resources. The compilation The Demolay Book is the first landmark in British Statistics. Later on
the need to register births, deaths, pabtisms, and marriages was reinforced as the population
grew bigger.
It was Gottfried Achenwall (The Holy Bible, Luke 2:4-5), who first introduced the word statistiks
in the preface to a statistical work. The word was derived from Latin word “Status” or the Italian
word “Statista” which means “State”. It was Zimmermann and Sir John Sinclair, however, who
introduced and popularized statistics in their books in the early 19th century to mean “the collection
and classification of data”..
Girolino Cardano, an Italian mathematician, physician, and gambler, wrote Liber de Ludo Aleae
in which appeared the first known study of the principles of probability.
Chevalier de Mere, another gambler, who made a proposal to Blaise Pascal in the famous
Problem of Points, a work which marked the beginning of mathematics probability.
Marquis de Laplace’s Theorie Analytique des Probabilities of 1812 stabilized and supported
the said theory.
Modern theories of statistics were attributed to the great names like Abraham De Moivre (1667-

1754) who discovered the equation of the normal curve, Karl Pearson who made an extensive

study on correlation among several variables, and Ronald Fisher who made discoveries on
unified theory for drawing rigorous conclusions from statistical data.
Just right after the World War II, the need for a basic understanding of statistics arose. Statistical
literacy became a necessity in today’s modern world. Nowadays, the use of statistics has
extended to such things as theater attendance, sports results, car sales in certain period of time,
heights, weights, birth rates, death rates, and other things that can be expressed numerically.

The Significance of Statisitcs

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In modern times, applications of statistical methods in the social sciences began to

increase. Statistics became essential in education, government, business, economics, medicine,
psychology, sociology, sports, and others.
In education, statistical tools are used to get the information on enrollment, finance,
facilities, grading system, and so on.
In government, statistics are gathered to guide the officials in managing the affairs of the
state. Since the earlier times, most civilized countries have already compiled large-scale statistics
in order to ascertain the manpower and material strength of the nation. These data are needed
for military and fiscal reasons. However, for an intelligent policy-making and administration, large
amounts of concrete and organized records on the movement of population, taxes, cost of living,
wages, and resources are necessary.
In medicine and the physical sciences, methods of statistical designs of experiments are
significant. The causes and effects of factors which affect experiments are best evaluated using
different statistical techniques.
In psychology, psychologists are able to understand human behavior better if they are
able to gather, systematize, analyze, and interpret data on different tests resulting to intelligence
test scores, aptitudes, personality trait ratings, and attitudes.
In sociology, statistics is used in the study of the conditions of the society. In order to
improve a society, different observations must be done, and with proper analysis and
interpretation, it may result to a positive action that will benefit the people.
In business and economics, statistics plays an important role in the financial transactions
and marketing of new products, forecasting of business trends, controlling of the quality of goods
produced, and improving personnel relations. Policy changes and decisions for more efficient
business and economic management must be based on collected data which had undergone
scientific statistical studies.
In sports, statistics are taken and recorded. These records help to keep track of
succeeding performances for comparison. Lso, sports officials use them to decide on the team
composition for international competition, and the declaration of the best athletes in their
respective fields.
Others may also include transportation safety, peace and order, consumers, health, and
agriculture.

Realities about Statistics

Mark Twain, a well-known writer said that in this world, there are three kinds of lies; lie’s,
damned lies, and statistics. Why statistics? Man use statistics and act in the image of statisticians
to collect irrelevant facts and figures and uses them to manipulate and influence the society.
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Corrupt politicians and other authorities can use statistics to manipulate and change facts for their
personal interest.

Professor Aaron Levenstein pointed out that statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is
suggestive, but what they conceal is vital. This only implies that statistics plays vital role in the
lives of every individual and the true application of statistics can be observed every day.

The Two Major Areas of Statistics: Descriptive and Inferential.

Descriptive Statistics
➢ It is the discipline of quantitatively describing main features of a collection of data without
drawing conclusions about a large group.
➢ It includes statistical procedures to describe either a sample or a population.
➢ It can only be used to describe the group that is being studied and results are not used to
draw conclusions to any larger group.
➢ It can be thought of as a straightforward presentation of facts. (Charts, graphs and other
descriptive tools used for data presentation will be discussed in the upcoming lesson).
➢ For instance, respondents in a survey may be described in terms of how many are males
and females, what percent are litereate, what is the average family income, how many
belong to a certain age group, etc.
➢ In short, it involves data gathering, organizing, describing, and presenting these
information.

Inferential Statistics
➢ It is concerned with the analysis of a subset of data or sample leading to predictions or
inferences, interpretation, or conclusion about the entire set of data or population.
➢ For example, suppose a group of doctors around the world would want to know how
effective is a certain vaccine for covid 19. Testing this vaccine to every individual would
be impossible and is highly risky. It is too expensive, time-consuming, and impractical.
Instead, a small part of the entire or world population is randomly/scientifically chosen (in
the clinical trial of the vaccine). The data gathered from this group is used to draw a
general opinion of the entire population of those infected by the corona virus disease.
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References

Book
Daňas, Jayson M. and Lumberio- Daňas, Cyril Anne R. ((2015). Introduction to Elementary
Statistics. Mindshapers Co., Inc.
Orines et. al. (2008). Next Century Mathematics Advanced Algebra, Trigonometry, and
Statistics.

Internet
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/statistics

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