Section 1-5

Uses and Misuses of Statistics

There are three types of lies ----- lies, damn lies and statistics

Statistics…can’t get any respect?• Torture numbers, and they'll confess to

anything. ~Gregg Easterbrook

• Statistics can be made to prove anything - even the truth. ~Author Unknown

• He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lampposts - for support rather than for illumination.  ~Andrew Lang

• There are two kinds of statistics, the kind you look up and the kind you make up.  ~Rex Stout, Death of a Doxy

Death in Iraq

Death in Iraq

Claim:

• 80% of all Resumes are Misleading – • Source Xukor, Inc. complied from a

survey of 10,000 applications and resumes combined

Are Resumes misleading:

MOST FREQUENT AREAS WHERE THEY ARE MISLEADING

1-5 Uses and Misuses of Statistics Suspect Samples

Is the sample large enough?How was the sample selected? Is the sample representative of the

population? Ambiguous Averages

What particular measure of average was used and why?

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1-5 Uses and Misuses of Statistics Changing the Subject

Are different values used to represent the same data?

Detached StatisticsOne third fewer calories…….than what?

Implied ConnectionsStudies suggest that some people may

understand what this statement means.

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1-5 Uses and Misuses of Statistics Misleading Graphs

Are the scales for the x-axis and y-axis appropriate for the data?

Faulty Survey QuestionsDo you feel that statistics teachers should

be paid higher salaries?Do you favor increasing tuition so that

colleges can pay statistics teachers higher salaries?

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Homework

Read Sec 1.5 and know

the important terms.

Do Review Exercises on

page 26 #1- 28 all any of them that are not already assigned.

Bluman Chapter 1 13

Extra Credit Opportunity:

If you do any activity to observe Veteran’s Day, let me know and I will give you extra credit.