CHAPTER 1

Fundamentals

1.1 GOAL AND TASK OF STATISTICS

Originally, i.e. until the first half of the 19th century, the term statistics—a word taken from
the Latin language: status—meant a set of data or numbers describing the state of a political
body. The first notations in this regard were used in ancient China and Egypt and later in the
Roman Empire. Such data were very useful and this was confirmed once again in the Middle
Ages. Later on, the scope of the term was enlarged to include all sets of data. In the 20th
century, methods for the analysis of the collected information were incorporated.
There is a difference in meaning in the English language as to whether the word statistics
is used as a singular or plural noun.1
Statistics means:
a. A discipline of science, the branch of mathematics that deals with quantitative methods to
investigate mass phenomena
b. A set of data that is a picture of the running changes of some phenomena (processes) in a
certain space.
Statistics relates to status. Statistic means a characteristic describing the determined prop-
erties of a set of numbers. This characteristic is in fact an estimator (function) of an unknown
parameter of the general population being investigated through taking a sample.
Statistics, as a science dealing with the methods used to gain, to present and to analyse
data, has the main goal of obtaining generalised useful information about some phenomenon
or property.
Such a phenomenon must have a mass character, i.e. it should be connected with a large
number of cases. In such a situation, some regularity can be traced. In every case, this regu-
larity is the result of the action of some causes; causes that create a set. Regularities of such
a nature are called statistical regularities, i.e. they cannot usually be found by observing only
one, singular event.
The reasons that generate statistical regularity can be divided into the:
• main ones or
• random ones.
The main reasons create a systematic component whereas the random reasons create a
stochastic component.
The mass character of a phenomenon does not give a ground to apply statistical methods.
These methods can only be used when the set is composed of similar elements that have non-
identical properties.
The first stage of a statistical investigation consists of the construction of an investiga-
tion plan. It is composed of the goal and subject of the examination planned. The elements
of the statistical population have to be identified together with their properties, which are

1
There is no such difference in some other languages.

Book.indb 1 12/9/2013 12:21:50 PM