AP Statistics

Introduction & Chapter 1.1

Variables, Distributions & Graphs

Goals: What will we know and be able to do

as a result of today’s Lesson?
You will be able to know, explain
and use the following vocabulary:
 Individual  Count
 Variable  Percent
 Categorical Variable  Bar Graph
 Quantitative Variable  Pie Chart
 Distribution  Dotplot
 Exploratory Data Analysis  Stemplot
 Center, Spread, Shape
 Outlier
Here are some definitions:

 Individual : Objects described by a set

of data. They may be people, animals,
things, etc.
 Variable : Any characteristic of an
individual. The variable will likely take on
different values for different individuals.
(Can you think of some more examples?)
… more definitions:
 Categorical Variable : A variable which
focuses on a characteristic of an individual,
allowing it to be placed into one of several
groups or categories.
 Quantitative Variable : A variable which
focuses on a characteristic of an individual that
takes on numerical values for which arithmetic
operations can be performed.
 (Can you think of some more examples?)
… more definitions:
 Distribution : a way of demonstrating
what values a variable take on and how
often it takes each value.
 Exploratory Data Analysis : Using
statistical tools to examine data and
describe its main features. Comparing
variables, providing graphs and doing
numerical summaries are specific
strategies.
… more definitions:
 Count : The number of observations that fall
into a particular category, when analyzing
individuals with a categorical variable.
 Percent : The percentage of observations that
fall into a particular category, when analyzing
individuals with a categorical variable. This is
found by dividing the count by the total number
of observations.
… more definitions:
 Bar Graph : A graph 0.5
which is fashioned by 90
0.45
80 0.4
separate rectangular 700.35
bars, whose heights 60 0.3
0.25
represent either the 50
40
0.2

count or the 0.15

30 0.1

percentage of 200.05
10 0
individuals within 0
Pigs Goats Sheep Cows

each category. Pigs Goats Sheep Cows

… more definitions:
11% 11%

 Pie Chart: A circle

graph which Pigs
represents each 28%
Goats
Sheep
category percentage Cows
by a number of
degrees out of 360. 50%
One kind of Quantitative Display:

 Dotplot: A simple way to represent a summary

of quantitative data. Create an x-axis with the
quantitative values upon it. Place a dot over
each value as it is represented in the data.
 See the example done in class for soccer goals …
… more definitions:
Looking for an overall PATTERN?
 Center : What value seems to divide the data
into two parts - half of which are higher, and
half of which are lower?
 Spread : What are the largest and smallest
values?
 Shape : Do the data form a symmetric mound?
… Is the distribution flat? … Does it have a tail?
… to the left? … or to the right?
 Outlier : Do any individual observations fall
outside the overall pattern of a graph?
Another type of Quantitative Display:
 Stemplot: A more complicated way to represent
a summary of quantitative data, especially when
the spread of the data is very large.
 Separate each observation in two parts, a stem and a
leaf (as demonstrated in class).
 Write the stems vertically in increasing order.
 Draw a vertical line to the right of the stems.
 Go though the data, writing down the leaves to the
right of each stem.
 Rewrite the leaves in increasing order.
 Provide a key for what each stem/leaf means.

 See the example done in class for Caffeine content …

A Variation on the Theme
 Split Stemplot: Allow the 2 stems of the same
value to represent an upper and lower half of
the leaves.
 Tips: Make sure you always have the same number of
leaves allotted to each stem when splitting stems
 Five stems is a good minimum
 Too many stems will flatten the graph
 Too few will create a “skyscraper” shape
 You achieve greater flexibility by rounding the data
first.
 See the example done in class for Caffeine content …
What’s on for tomorrow??
 The remainder of Section 1.1 –
Histograms and your TI-83