Basic Statistics is a form of mathematics that allows you to properly collect, analyze, interpret and present data in an easy to understand format. It is a basic skill needed to ensure proper understanding of many of the more centralized statistic fields.



Importance of Statistics

We are bombarded with data in everyday life. These days, we encounter the use of statistics in everything ranging from news reports, sports averages, weather, elections, business reports, stocks to advertisements, economic conditions etc.

Importance of basic statistics in everyday life cannot be stressed enough. Inclusion of basic statistics in high school curriculum is uncommon but proves highly beneficial to supplement certain careers in future. This field may be the most widely used of all and most people don't even know they are using it.

Many of today's brightest business minds use this study to create charts and graph that allow them to stress a certain aspect of the business they are dealing with. Market research agencies, News rooms, marketing divisions of large corporations, NGOs, accounting firms etc. are full of people who specialize in basic statistics.

Who should take it?

Basically, anyone who is planning on entering the business, accounting, psychology or research based fields would benefit from the study of basic statistics. This also applies to anyone entering college to obtain an MBA or a specialized degree like social sciences, requiring higher study of statistical methods. Such students would be advised to complete this course at the high school level itself to be able to complete the requirements with ease.

Statistical Awareness with Triola Textbooks

Just turning on the television exposes us to surveys and percent this and percent that. How many dinners have been ruined with a survey taker calling? For some particular reason humans are fascinated with how many of us want to do this or that. We need to know not just about ourselves but also, in exact (+-) numbers, how many or what percent. Curiosity dictates it.

But is it really?

These statistics are supposed to mean something. Statistical textbooks like the Triola textbook series show how the numbers are arrived at, but what do they really mean? You have a mean and a statistical deviation derived through the Triola textbook equation but what does it mean to us?

The people need to know.

Enter the experts

These people supposedly understand what the Triola textbook equations and numbers mean. They can apply the numbers to show how people are behaving and give it weight in the decision making process. But wait, there is a problem. This expert says it means this and this one says it means that. How can this be? These are statistics! They govern everything and must be correct and accurate in the calculus.

Maybe yes and maybe no

Never mind the experts. Enter the data. Depending upon the data that is used the end result can mean just about anything you want it to mean. The data may seem to be the correct data to enter into the equations, and most likely is, but to what end? Ultimately, the numbers never lie. It is just a question of which numbers you care to use. The experts have to eat to after all.