All Flashcards
Define descriptive statistics.
Methods for summarizing and describing the key features of a dataset.
Define inferential statistics.
Methods for making inferences or drawing conclusions about a population based on sample data.
What is the mean?
The average of a dataset, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the number of values.
What is the median?
The middle value in a dataset when the values are ordered from least to greatest.
What is the mode?
The most frequently occurring value in a dataset.
Define standard deviation.
A measure of how much the values in a dataset deviate from the mean.
What is the range?
The difference between the highest and lowest values in a dataset.
Define correlation coefficient.
A measure of the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables, ranging from -1 to +1.
What is a frequency distribution?
Shows how scores fall into different categories.
Define statistical significance.
The likelihood that a result occurred by chance. A statistically significant result is unlikely to have occurred by chance.
Compare the mean and the median.
Mean is the average, sensitive to outliers. Median is the middle value, resistant to outliers.
Compare standard deviation and range.
Standard deviation measures the average spread around the mean; range measures the difference between the highest and lowest values.
Compare positive and negative correlation.
Positive correlation: variables increase together. Negative correlation: as one variable increases, the other decreases.
How is understanding correlation used in everyday life?
Helps to interpret relationships between events, but avoid assuming causation without further evidence.
How is the concept of standard deviation applied in quality control?
Used to measure the consistency of a manufacturing process; lower SD indicates higher consistency.
How are measures of central tendency used in grading?
Teachers use mean, median, and mode to understand the typical performance of students on exams.
How is statistical significance applied in medical research?
Used to determine if the results of a clinical trial are likely due to the treatment or due to chance.