CAMBRIDGE IGCSE MATHS STAGE 11: STATISTICS

Introduction
Statistics is a vital branch of mathematics that deals with collecting, analysing, and interpreting data. It
helps us understand patterns, trends, and relationships within data sets, allowing us to make informed
decisions and predictions. In Stage 11, we'll focus on representing and summarizing data through
various graphical methods.
1. Frequency Tables
A frequency table organizes and summarizes data by showing the frequency (number of occurrences)
of each value in a data set. Here's the structure:
 Values: List all distinct values in your data set (e.g., shoe sizes, movie ratings).
 Frequency: Count how many times each value appears (e.g., number of people with each
shoe size, frequency of each movie rating).
 Total: Calculate the sum of all frequencies (e.g., total number of people, total number of
movie ratings).
Benefits:
 Provides a clear and concise overview of data distribution.
 Easily calculates measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) and dispersion (range,
standard deviation).
 Useful for comparing data sets with similar values.
Example: A survey finds the favourite ice cream flavours in a class:

Flavour Frequency
Vanilla 25
Chocolate 15
Strawberry 10
Mint Chocolate Chip 8
Mango 7
Total 65

Or:
Flavour Tally Marks Frequency
Vanilla 25
Chocolate 15
Strawberry 10
Mint Chocolate Chip 8
Mango 7
Total 65

This table shows that Vanilla is the most popular flavour, followed by Chocolate and Strawberry.
2. Pictograms
Pictograms use symbols or pictures to represent data visually. Each symbol corresponds to a certain
number of items/occurrences in the data set. This makes them appealing for younger audiences or
when presenting data to a general audience.
Creating a Pictogram:
1. Choose a suitable symbol related to your data (e.g., ice cream cones for ice cream flavours).
2. Assign a value to each symbol (e.g., 1 cone represents 2 students).
3. Draw the symbols proportionally to their frequencies in the data table.
 4. Add a title, labels, and legend for clear interpretation.
Benefits:
 Engages viewers with eye-catching visuals.
 Easy to understand for nonmathematical audiences.
 Effective for comparing data sets with similar values.
Example: Using the ice cream data from before, we could create a pictogram with ice cream cones,
where each cone represents 2 students.

3. Bar Charts
Bar charts represent data using rectangular bars whose heights correspond to the frequencies of
each value. They are versatile and effective for comparing different categories or values within a data
set.
Creating a Bar Chart:
1. Choose horizontal or vertical orientation depending on your data.
2. Label the X-axis with categories or values.
3. Label the Y-axis with frequencies.
4. Draw bars with heights proportional to their corresponding frequencies.
5. Add a title and legend for clarity.
Benefits:
 Easy to understand and interpret.
 Effective for comparing multiple categories or values.
 Suitable for showing trends and patterns in data.
Example: Using the ice cream data, we could create a bar chart with flavours on the X-axis and
frequencies on the Y-axis. The heights of the bars would visually represent the popularity of each
flavour.
4. Pie Charts
Pie charts represent data as a circular divided into sectors, where each sector's central angle
corresponds to the percentage of a specific value in the data set. They are effective for highlighting
the relative contributions of different categories to the whole.
Creating a Pie Chart:
1. Calculate the percentage of each value in the data set.
2. Divide a circle into sectors proportional to these percentages.
3. Label each sector with the corresponding value and percentage.
4. Add a title and legend for clarity.
Benefits:
 Emphasize the relative size of different categories.
 Effective for showing data composition and proportions.
 Easy to understand for general audiences.
Example: Analysing Ice Cream Preferences Using Pie Chart

Consider a dataset that records the ice cream preferences of a group of students. The flavours
include Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Cookie Dough. We can create a pie
chart to visually represent the distribution of these preferences and gain insights into the dominant
flavour or the variety of choices made by the students.
Data:
 Vanilla: 25 students
 Chocolate: 15 students
 Strawberry: 10 students
 Mint Chocolate Chip: 8 students
 Cookie Dough: 7 students

Pie Chart Analysis:

We can represent this data using a pie chart where each sector corresponds to a specific flavour, and
the size of the sector reflects the percentage of students who prefer that flavour.

Steps:
1. Calculate Percentages:
𝟐𝟓
 Vanilla: (
𝟔𝟓
) * 100 ≈ 38.46%
𝟏𝟓
 Chocolate: (
𝟔𝟓
) * 100 ≈ 23.08%
𝟏𝟎
 Strawberry: (
𝟔𝟓
) * 100 ≈ 15.38%
𝟎𝟖
 Mint Chocolate Chip: (
𝟔𝟓
) * 100 ≈ 12.31%
𝟕
 Cookie Dough: (
𝟔𝟓
) 100 ≈ 10.77%

2. Create the Pie Chart:

 Vanilla: 38.46%
 Chocolate: 23.08%
 Strawberry: 15.38%
 Mint Chocolate Chip: 12.31%
 Cookie Dough: 10.77%

Frequency
11%

12%
39%

15%

23%

Vanilla Chocolate Strawberry Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Interpretation:

 The pie chart visually depicts the ice cream flavour preferences of the students.
 Vanilla stands out as the most preferred flavour, occupying the largest sector at 38.46%.
  Chocolate follows with 23.08%, indicating a substantial but slightly lower preference.
 The other flavours contribute to the variety, with Strawberry at 15.38%, Mint Chocolate Chip
at 12.31%, and Cookie Dough at 10.77%.
This graphical representation enables us to quickly understand the distribution of preferences,
providing valuable insights for analysis or decision making, such as stocking more Vanilla ice cream
due to its popularity or introducing promotions to boost the sales of less preferred flavours.
Remember:
 Choose the appropriate data representation method based on your data type, audience, and
purpose.
 Ensure clarity and accuracy in labels, titles, and legends.
 Practice creating different charts and interpreting data effectively.

I hope these detailed notes provide a strong foundation for your Stage 11 Statistics journey in
Cambridge IGCSE Maths! As you explore these concepts further, remember to utilize past
papers, online resources, and your teacher.

1. Scatter diagrams + line of best fit:

a. Scatter diagrams:
 Used to show the relationship between two quantitative variables.
 Each data point is plotted as a dot on a coordinate plane.

 Independent variable: plotted on the X - axis.

 Dependent variable: plotted on the Y - axis.
 No connecting lines between points; just individual dots.

b. Line of best fit:

 A straight line that is drawn through the scatter of points to show the general trend of the data.
 Different methods to draw the line of best fit (e.g., eye fitting, method of least squares).

 Used to estimate the value of the dependent variable for a given value of the independent
variable.
 Correlation coefficient: measures the strength and direction of the relationship between the
two variables (range: 1 to 1).
 The closer the data points come to forming a straight line when plotted, the higher the
correlation between the two variables, or the stronger the relationship. If the data points make
a straight line going from near the origin out to high y-values, the variables are said to have a
positive correlation.

c. Important points to remember:

 Scatter diagrams don't necessarily imply causation, only correlation.

 Be aware of outliers that may skew the line of best fit.

 Consider the context of the data when interpreting the line of best fit.

Additional resources:
 Page numbers from the textbook: 591604.

 IGCSE Cambridge syllabus reference: E9.3.

2. Histograms:
  Used to visualize the distribution of a single quantitative variable in a dataset.
 The X-axis represents the variable, divided into intervals (bins).
 The Y-axis represents the frequency or density of data points within each interval.
 Bars should be equally spaced and touch each other (no gaps).
 The total area of the bars should represent the total number of data points.

c. Important points to remember:

 Choose appropriate intervals to display the data accurately.

 Label the axes clearly and include a title for the histogram.

 Analyse the shape of the histogram to identify features like central tendency, spread, and
skewness.

Additional resources:
 Page numbers from the textbook: (not specified in the text you provided).

 IGCSE Cambridge syllabus reference: E9.4.

Example:
Given below is the frequency distribution of the heights of 50 students of a class:

Class Interval: 140145 145150 150155 155160 160165

Frequency: 8 12 18 10 5

Draw a histogram representing the above data.

Solution:

We represent class intervals along x-axis and frequency along y-axis. Taking suitable intervals along
x-axis and y-axis we construct the rectangles as shown in the figure. This the required histogram.
3. Histograms with bars of unequal width:
 Similar to regular histograms, but the intervals (bins) are not of equal width.
 Used when the data is naturally grouped into unequal categories.

 The area of each bar still represents the frequency or density of data points within its interval.

c. Important points to remember:

 Label the axes clearly, specifying the width of each interval.

 Adjust the scaling of the Y-axis accordingly to represent the data accurately.

 Interpret the histogram in the context of the unequal intervals.

Additional resources:
 Page numbers from the textbook: (not specified in the text you provided).

 IGCSE Cambridge syllabus reference: E9.5.

Bonus Tips:
 Use practice questions and past papers to solidify your understanding of these concepts.

 Create flashcards with key terms and definitions.

 Visualize the data and draw connections between your notes and real-world examples.

Measures of Central Tendency: The Median, Mean, and Range

Central tendency refers to how data points are clustered around a "typical" value in a dataset. Three
common measures to describe this are the median, mean, and range. Let's delve into each of them
with detailed notes and examples:
1. The Median:
 Definition: The middle value when the data is arranged in ascending or descending order.
 How to find it:
o For an odd number of data points: Arrange the data from smallest to largest, and the
middle value is the median.
o For an even number of data points: Arrange the data from smallest to largest, and the
median is the average of the two middle values.
 Advantages:
o Robust to outliers: Not affected by extreme values in the data.
o Easy to understand and calculate.
 Disadvantages:
o Doesn't use all the information in the data.
o Not as common as the mean.
Example: Consider the test scores of 5 students: 70, 80, 90, 95, 100.
 Arranged in order: 70, 80, 90, 95, 100.
 Median: 90 (the middle value).
2. The Mean:
 Definition: The sum of all data points divided by the number of data points.
 How to find it: Add up all the data points and then divide by the total number of data points.
 Advantages:
o Uses all the information in the data.
o More widely used than the median.
 Disadvantages:
 o Sensitive to outliers: Extreme values can skew the mean.
o Not always representative of the "typical" value, especially with skewed data.
Example: Using the same test scores:
 Mean: (70 + 80 + 90 + 95 + 100) / 5 = 87.
3. The Range:
 Definition: The difference between the largest and smallest values in the data set.
 How to find it: Subtract the smallest value from the largest value.
 Advantages:
 Easy to calculate.
 Gives a quick overview of the data spread.
 Disadvantages:
 Ignores all information about the distribution of data points within the range.
 Can be misleading for datasets with outliers.
Example: Using the same test scores:
 Range: 100 (largest) 70 (smallest) = 30.
Choosing the Right Measure:
The choice between the median, mean, and range depends on the nature of your data and what you
want to know about it.
 Use the median if your data has outliers or is skewed.
 Use the mean if your data is not skewed and you want to use all the information available.
 Use the range as a quick indicator of data spread but consider other measures like standard
deviation for a more nuanced understanding.
Remember, each measure has its own strengths and weaknesses. Combining these tools provides a
more comprehensive picture of your data and helps you draw clearer conclusions.

Cumulative Frequency Tables

Definition: Cumulative frequency tables display the total frequency of values up to a certain point in a
dataset. Here are detailed notes on creating and interpreting cumulative frequency tables:

1. Frequency Distribution Table:

 Begin with a regular frequency distribution table showing values and their corresponding
frequencies.
 Arrange values in ascending order for easier calculation.

2. Cumulative Frequency (CF):

 Create a new column for cumulative frequency (CF).
 Start with the first value's frequency as its cumulative frequency.

3. Calculating Cumulative Frequency:

 For each subsequent row, add the frequency of the current row to the cumulative frequency of
the previous row.
 The last row's cumulative frequency is the total number of observations in the dataset.

4. Cumulative Relative Frequency (CRF):

 Optionally, calculate cumulative relative frequency by dividing the cumulative frequency by
the total number of observations.
 This helps analyse the relative position of values in the dataset.
5. Percentiles:
 Percentiles represent the relative standing of a value in a dataset.
 The nth percentile is the value below which n% of the data falls.
 Use the cumulative frequency to identify percentiles.

6. Ogive (Cumulative Frequency Curve):

 Plotting cumulative frequency against values creates an ogive.
 It visually represents the cumulative distribution of data.
 Smooth curves can be drawn connecting the points for a clearer view.

7. Interpretation:
 Cumulative frequency tables help analyse the distribution of data.
 They assist in identifying median, quartiles, and outliers.
 Ogives provide a visual summary of the dataset's cumulative behaviour.

8. Example:
 Suppose you have data: 5, 7, 8, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20.
 Create a frequency distribution table, then add cumulative frequency.

Value Frequency Cumulative Frequency

5 1 1
7 1 2
8 2 4
10 1 5
12 1 6
15 1 7
16 1 8
18 1 9
20 1 10

Feel free to ask if you have specific questions or if you need more clarification on any point.

Box and Whisker Plot Graphs

Extensive Notes:
 Purpose: Visualize the distribution of a dataset, showing its central tendency, spread, and
potential outliers.
 Key components:
 Box:
 Represents the middle 50% of the data.
 Encloses the interquartile range (IQR), which is the difference between the
75th percentile (upper quartile, Q3) and the 25th percentile (lower quartile,
Q1).
 Median: A line within the box, marking the 50th percentile (middle value).
 Whiskers:
  Extend from the box to the minimum and maximum values within 1.5 times
the IQR.
 Outliers: Data points beyond the whiskers, often plotted as individual points.
 How to create:
 Calculate the quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3).
 Draw a box from Q1 to Q3.
 Mark the median within the box.
 Extend whiskers from Q1 and Q3 to the appropriate values.
 Plot any outliers beyond the whiskers.
 Interpretation:
 Box width: Indicates the spread of the middle 50% of the data.
 Median position: Shows where the "typical" value lies within the distribution.
 Whisker length: Reflects the overall spread of the data.
 Outliers: Highlight unusual values that deviate significantly from the rest of the data.
Example:
Additional Notes:
 Box and whisker plots are useful for comparing multiple datasets visually.
 They are robust to outliers, meaning they are not significantly affected by extreme values.
 They can be created horizontally or vertically.
I hope these detailed notes and examples help you understand these statistical concepts!