Statistics
deals mainly in communicating facts and figures in terms of a method called statistical method. Collection, classification, tabulation, representation, reasoning, testing and drawing inferences are part of statistical methods.
Rainfall patterns of a particular city over a period of time can be analyzed and a fair estimate about next season can be arrived at, with the help of figures (data) collected over a period of time.
The word statistics is used with two meanings.- Systematically collected and presented numerical data.
- Processing the numerical data and to draw conclusions from there.
The following figure shows some information about population. Observe the figure and try to answer the questions below it.
- What information about population does the figure show?
- State the time interval in which the information has been collected .
- In how many parts is the time interval divided? How many years does each part contain?
- Does the figure show that the birth rate is constantly declining?
- Does the figure show a constantly declining death rate?
- State the census year which shows the maximum birth rate. How much is it?
- State the time interval in which the death rate has fallen suddenly.
To collect such information using proper methods and to draw conclusions from it, has now become an independent subject, called statistics. The information collected is mainly in the form of numbers.
Today, statistics has become a part of all branches of knowledge. It is used to study problems in Biology, Psychology, Economics, Sociology, Trade, Industry etc.,The statistical method of studying a problem broadly consists of the following steps:
- to collect numerical data about the problem,
- to present the collected data systematically,
- to analyse the data and
- to interpret the data and draw conclusions from it.
