Republic of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University

ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

LSPU Self-Paced Learning Module (SLM)

Course Mathematics in the Modern World

Sem/AY 1st Semester A.Y 2021-2022
Module No. 2

Lesson Title Mathematics in Arts and Humanities

Learning Outcomes

Intended Students should be able to realize the application of mathematics to arts and
Learning humanities.
Outcomes
Targets/ At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Objectives • Identify symmetry in Arts and Music
• Determine the type of symmetry found in art and music

Student Learning Strategies

Online Activities (Synchronous and Asynchronous)

1. Synchronous classes via Google Meet
The google meeting link is posted on google classroom (see our class calendar). Note that
we will be using the same link throughout the semester.

2. Asynchronous Online Discussion Thread (25 points)

Choose one question and submit your answer on google classroom. You should also reply
to at least two answers from your classmates.

Offline Activities (e-Learning/Self-Paced)

Chapter 2: Mathematics in Arts and Music

2.1 Patterns in Visual Arts
2.2 Patterns in Music
2.3 Mobius Strips

Introduction

In this section, we will be discussing the many applications of mathematics in different fields. From
Unit 1 we have defined mathematics as a science of patterns. Consider some branches of
mathematics. Logic is the study of patterns of reasoning. Geometry examines the patterns of size
and shape. Trigonometry studies the patterns of triangles and their parts. Calculus investigates
the patterns of quantities that change. Statistics is the study of patterns of analyzing data. Now we
will consider nonquantitative fields and discover how mathematics is applied.

We will first introduce the concept of symmetries of finite shapes. Symmetry comes from the
Greek word symmetros meaning “to measure together”.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Reflection
To find the image of a point 𝑃 under a reflection, draw the line through 𝑃 that is perpendicular to
the axis of reflection 𝑚.

Rotation with center 𝑶 and angle rotation of 𝟏𝟑𝟓°.

A rotation is a motion that swings an object around a fixed point, called the rotocenter. Any angle
in the counter clockwise direction has a positive angle measure while any angle in the clockwise
direction has a negative angle measure.

Translation
A translation is a motion which drags an object in a specified direction for a specified length. The
direction and length of the translation are given by the vector of translation, denoted by 𝑣.

Glide Reflection
A glide reflection is a combination of a translation and a reflection. The vector of translation 𝑣 and
the axis of reflection 𝑚 must be parallel to each other.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

2.1 Patterns in Visual Arts

Symmetry in Visual Arts

There is symmetry if one shape becomes exactly like another when you move it in some way such
as turn, flip, or slide, Symmetry occurs when the shape of the object is the same around a certain
line called the axis of symmetry. The initial image is called the pre-image, and the second image
is called the image.

Symmetric pattern, a particular part of the design is repeated again and again to get a perfect
symmetry. Asymmetrical is an object without symmetry.

Types of Symmetry
1. Reflection Symmetry (also known as bilateral symmetry)
When an object is reflected across a line, and half of the image is the same as the other half.
It is the “mirror” effect. If a line can be drawn through the image so one side of the image is
the reflection of the other side. We call this line the line of symmetry or mirror symmetry.
Line of symmetry

The vertical line at the center of the butterfly is called the

line of symmetry. The left side is a mirror image of the
right side. Here are some more examples of reflection
symmetry. The line of symmetry can go in any direction.
The letter H and X have a reflectional symmetry both
having horizontal and vertical lines of reflection.

Some objects have more than one axis of reflection

symmetry while some objects have no lines of symmetry.

Examples of objects with more than one axis of symmetry

Examples of objects with no axis of symmetry

2. Rotational Symmetry (also known as radial symmetry)

When an object is rotated in a certain direction around a point. It occurs when an object is
rotated about a fixed center ( appoint that does not move) or a vertex by an angle greater
than 0° but less than 360°. The object can be rotated more than once and appears the same
after rotating by some amount around the center point.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Angle of rotational symmetry is the smallest angle through which an object can be rotated
to coincide with itself.

Order of Rotation is the number of rotations

Examples:
a. When an object is rotated twice clockwise, and it looks exactly the same as it was
originally, then it is said to have a rotational symmetry of second order.

1 2

b. When an object is rotated once clockwise, and it looks exactly the same as it was
originally, then it is said to have order one rotational symmetry.

Consider the shape, star. When it is rotated five times clockwise

!
by 72°, it will look exactly the same. We got 72° from " × 360° =
!
72° . A full turn is 360° and a star has five points, so we got "
.
Therefore, the star has a rotational symmetry of order 5.

𝟏
A figure or object has order 𝒏 rotational symmetry if 𝒏
complete turn leaves the figure
unchanged.

3. Translational Symmetry
When an object is relocated to another position while maintaining its general or exact
orientation. It is the act of “sliding” an object into a new location without change to its shape,
size, or orientation.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

4. Glide symmetry
It is the combination of reflection symmetry and translation symmetry. First is the mirror
reflection and followed by a translational parallel to the mirror.

___________________________________________________________________________

Summary: The image below shows the difference between the four types of symmetry.

Fractals are never-ending pattern. It is infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across
different scales, created by repeating a process over and over in an ongoing loop.

Two Categories
1. Objects that occur in Nature
Natural objects shows symmetry over a limited range of scales.
Examples:

Ferns Clouds Lightning

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

2. Mathematical Constructions.
In contrast to naturally occurring fractals, mathematical fractals can possess an infinite
range of symmetry.

Kosh Curve Sierpinski Gasket

2.2 Patterns in Music

Scan this to be redirected to the video. This will also be uploaded on Google Classroom.

2.3 Mobius Strip

The Möbius strip, also called the twisted cylinder (Henle 1994, p. 110), is a one-sided non-orientable
surface obtained by cutting a closed band into a single strip, giving one of the two ends thus
produced a half twist, and then reattaching the two ends (right figure; Gray 1997, pp. 322-323). The
strip bearing his name was invented by Möbius in 1858, although it was independently discovered
by Listing, who published it, while Möbius did not (Derbyshire 2004, p. 381). Like the cylinder, it is
not a true surface, but rather a surface with boundary (Henle 1994, p. 110).

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Mathematics in the Modern World 6

 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Performance Task

Instructions: Make an artwork that incorporates different types of symmetries discussed. Use
materials that are seen in your house, be resourceful.

Sample Artworks:
1. Geometric Design using coloring materials and paper
2. 3D symmetric Polyhedron and orbs using old cartons and glue
3. Painting of a scenic view
4. A parol made from recycled materials

Requirements:
1. Record yourself while making the artwork. The video should briefly show that materials used
in the artwork, the process of making the artwork, and the finished work. It should only be 1-
2 minutes long.

2. Oral Presentation. During the synchronous class, each student should showcase the artwork
they made for 1 minute. They should show the materials they used and identify the symmetry
in their artwork.

Rubrics

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Course Mathematics in the Modern World

Sem/AY 1st Semester A.Y 2021-2022
Module No. 2

Lesson Title Mathematics in Social Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Intended Students should be able to

Learning • Use a variety of statistical tools to process and manage numerical data
Outcomes • Use appropriate tools for summarizing their data.
Targets/ At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Objectives • Define Statistics
• Differentiate kinds of variables
• Learn the appropriate data collection method.
• Choose the correct method of data presentation
• Learn different kinds of data measurement.
• Know when to use the methods for summarizing data.

Student Learning Strategies

Online Activities (Synchronous and Asynchronous)

1. Synchronous classes via Google Meet
The google meeting link is posted on google classroom (see our class calendar). Note that
we will be using the same link throughout the semester.

Offline Activities (e-Learning/Self-Paced)

Chapter 3: Mathematics in Social Sciences

3.1 Introduction to Statistics for Social Sciences
3.2 Descriptive Statistics
3.3 Applications to Social Sciences

3.1 Introduction to Statistics

The term statistics came from the Latin phrase “ratio status” which means study of practical politics
or the statement’s art. In the middle of the 18th century, the term statistic was used, a German term
defined as the “political science of several countries”. From statistic, it become statistics defined
as a statement in figures and facts of the present condition of a state.

Role of Statistics in Decision Making

Statistics provides tools in
• designing experiments or surveys
• analyzing data.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Statistics can help us answer questions like

1. What options to choose?
2. How do we make a choice?
3. Why choose such option?

Process of Statistics
1. Identify the research objective.
2. Collect the information needed.
3. Organize and summarize the information.
4. Draw conclusions from the information.

Two Broad Categories of Statistics

• Descriptive Statistics used to describe a mass of data in a clear, concise, and informative
way. It also deals with the methods of organizing, summarizing, and presenting data.
• Inferential Statistics is concerned with making generalizations about the characteristics of
a larger set where only part is examined.

§ Basic Concepts in Statistics

Data are facts and figures that are collected, presented and analyzed. It can be numeric or non-
numeric. Variables are the attribute or characteristic of interest measurable on each and every
unit of the universe.

Broad Classification of Variables

Types of Variables

1. Qualitative variables assume values that are not numerical but can be categorized.
Categories may be identified by either non-numerical descriptions or by numeric codes.
2. Quantitative variables indicate the quantity or amount of a characteristic; data are always
numeric

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Types of Quantitative Variables

1. Continuous variable variables whose levels can take continuous variables. These are
variables where you can make measurements of varying degrees of precision. The size and
accuracy of the measurements that you can make along this line depending on the way that
the measurements are made.
Example: height, weight, length, and width

2. Discrete of discontinuous variable variables whose values or levels cannot take the form
of decimals.
Examples: number of students in a class, the size of a family

Levels of Measurement

1. Nominal variable is a type of variable that is used to name, label or categorize attributes
that are being measured. It takes qualitative values representing different categories, and
there is no intrinsic ordering of these categories. You can code nominal variables with
numbers, but the order is arbitrary and arithmetic operations cannot be performed on the
numbers.

Examples: a person’s phone number, national Identification Number, postal code

2. Ordinal value is a type of measurement variable that takes values with an order or rank. It is
the 2nd level of measurement and is an extension of the nominal variable.

Examples: satisfaction rate, educational level.

3. Interval variable is a measurement variable that is used to define values measured along a
scale, with each point placed at an equal distance from one another.

Examples: Temperature, score in a test

4. Ratio variable a variable measurement scale that not only produces the order of variables
but also makes the difference between variables known along with information on the value
of true zero. It is calculated by assuming that the variables have an option for zero, the
difference between the two variables is the same and there is a specific order between the
options.

Examples: weight, height, family income

§ Data Collection Methods

Types of Data

1. Primary data is the data that has been collected from the first-hand experience. It has not
been published yet and is more reliable, authentic, and objective.
2. Secondary data is the data collected from a source that has already been published in any
form. The review of literature in any research is based on secondary data. It is collected by
someone else for some other purpose (but being utilized by the researcher for another
purpose).

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

There are three methods available to a researcher for collecting data, namely, objective, subjective,
and use of existing records. One or a combination of these methods can be used in a study
depending on the availability of resources and data requirements.

1. Objective method is where the data are collected by measuring or observing the
characteristics of interest directly on the entities. This method therefore requires counting or
measuring instruments to ensure correct and up-to-date information. Data collection by
observation using the five senses is also considered an objective method.

2. Subjective method information is collected through interviews not necessarily requiring the
presence of the entities under study. Thus, information can be obtained over the phone,
through face-to-face interviews or through mailed questionnaires.

3. Use of existing records data or part of data collected by another researcher or institution.
It is the most convenient method since the researcher makes use of data that are already
available. In using this method, the researcher should remember to properly acknowledge
the source of data.

Note that, if a research needs direct collection of data from the units of the study, a researcher
must apply the objective or subjective method.

§ Data Presentation Methods

After collecting the data, they need to be processed and organized.in doing so, the researcher
should choose the method that is most effective to highlight the research findings.

1. Textual presentation provides a concise narrative description highlighting a few but the
most important results of the study. Applicable only when presenting few information.

2. Tabular presentation is used when presenting more information and trends are easily seen.
Data are organized into classes or categories by rows and/or columns and appropriate
pieces of information are found in the cells of the table. Some data are lost when summarized
in this form.

Parts of a Statistical Table

o Table heading includes the table number and title.
o Caption designates the information contained in the columns.
o Body main part of the table containing the information or figures presented.
o Stubs / Classes categories which describe the data usually found at the left hand
side of the table.

3. Graphical Presentation provides visual presentation of the distributional properties of the

data. This is the most efficient way of presenting trends. Some details are lost in using this
type of presentation.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Tabular and Graphical Presentation

• Pie or circle chart is a circular statistical graph, which has sectors or slices representing the
proportion of data. The arc length of each sector represents the quantity proportionally

• Bar Graph represents quantitative values with the length of the bars which makes the
comparison of values easier.

• Scatter plot uses Cartesian coordinates to illustrate the values of two common variables for
a data set. In this case, the data is represented as a collection of points.

• Line chart displays the data as a series of points, connected into lines

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

• Stem-and-Leaf Plot
A stem-and-leaf plot or stem plot is a hybrid between a table and a graph. It shows the actual
data values, as well as the distribution of the data. It also shows the extreme data values in
the data set. However, since it requires an enumeration of the data values, it is appropriate
only for small data sets with positive values expressed in at least two digits. The steps for
the instruction of a stem plot are given below.

Steps in constructing a stem plot:

1. Arrange the data in ascending or descending order.
2. Split each datum into leaf value, which is the last digit, and a stem value which
consists of the remaining digits.
3. List stems vertically in increasing or decreasing order.
4. Draw a vertical line to the right of the stems
5. For each stem, write its leaves to the right of the vertical line in ascending order.
Example:
Subjects in a psychological study were timed while completing a certain task.
Complete a stem-and-leaf plot for the following list of times:
76 81 92 68 59 62 61 58 73 81 88 74 77 82
5 89
6 128
7 3467
8 1128
9 2

3.2 Descriptive Measures

Descriptive Measures are values that are used to summarize the characteristics of a universe or
population.

Measure of Location
This summarizes a data set by giving a “typical value” within the range if the data values that
describes its location relative to the entire data set.
• Minimum is the lowest value in the data set, denoted by MIN.
• Maximum is the highest value in the data set, denoted as MAX.

Example:

The data are 89 78 65 45 80 99 76 56

Minimum: 45
Maximum: 99

Measure of Central Tendency

It represents value(s) where the data observations tend to concentrate or cluster. Also called as an
average.

• Mean (Arithmetic Mean) is the sum of all observations in the data set
divided by the total number of observations

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

where:
𝑥% = 𝑖 &' 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑋
𝑁 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡.
Some properties of the mean
o There is only one mean in a given data set.
o It is defined only for quantitative data.
o It is easily affected by the presence of extreme values.

• Median is the middle value when the data values are arranged in
ascending or descending order of magnitude.

if N is odd,

if N is even.

• Mode is the value(s) in the data set which occurs most frequently, denoted by Mo.

Some properties of the mode.

o It may not exist.
o If it exists, there can be more than one mode for a given data set.
o It is applicable for both quantitative and qualitative values.

Example:
Given the following data
23 45 67 56 23 78 98 60 88

23 + 45 + 67 + 56 + 23 + 78 + 98 + 60 + 88
𝜇=
9
= 59.78
𝑀𝑑 = 60
𝑀𝑜 = 23

• Percentile is a measure of location which divides an array into 100 equal parts, each part
having one percent of the distribution of the data values. It is denoted by 𝑃( , the value that
separates the bottom 𝑗% from the top (100 − 𝑗)% of the data values.

Steps in finding 𝑃𝑗

Step 1: Arrange the data values in ascending order.

Step 2: Find the location of 𝑃𝑗 in the arranged list by computing for
(
𝐿 = R!))S ∗ 𝑁,
where N is the total number of observations in the data set and j is the percentile of interest.

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 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

Step 3:
a) If L is a whole number, then 𝑃𝑗 is the mean of the values in L and L + 1 positions.
b) If L is not a whole number, then 𝑃𝑗 is the value at the next higher whole number position.

• Deciles divide an array into ten equal parts, each part having ten percent of the distribution
of the data values. These are denoted by 𝐷𝑗. The 1st decile is the 10th percentile, the 2nd decile
is the 20th percentile, and so on.

• Quartiles divide an array into four equal parts, each part having 25% of the data values
denoted by 𝑄𝑗. The 1st quartile is the 25th percentile, the 2nd quartile is the 50th percentile, and
so on.

Note: Percentiles, deciles and quartiles are best used for large data sets, e.g. N > 100

Example
The histogram summarizes the number of acres of soybeans planted in each of the 30 counties of
Alabama recorded to have planted soybeans in 2009.

a) Compute for the 50th percentile

50
𝑃") = W X ∗ 30
100
= 15
The 60th percentile is 0-10,000 acres. We can also say that 60% of the countries planted 0-
10,000 acres of soybeans or 40% of the countries planted more than 10, 000 acres of
soybeans.
1 – 10, 000 acres is also the 5th decile and 2nd quartile, based from our definition.

Measure of Dispersion
This measures the quantity that describes the spread or variability of the observations in a given
dataset. The higher the value, the greater the variability in a data set.

• Range is the difference between the maximum and minimum values in a data set.
𝑅 = 𝑀𝐴𝑋 − 𝑀𝐼𝑁
Some properties of the Range
o It is easy and quick to understand.
o It is a rough measure of dispersion.
o It is usually reported with the median.

• Inter-quartile range is the difference between the third quartile and the first quartile.
𝐼𝑄𝑅 = 𝑄* − 𝑄!

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Laguna State Polytechnic University
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Some properties of the Inter-quartile range

o Not affected by the presence of extreme values.
o Not that easy to calculate.

• Variance the average squared difference of the observations from the mean.
∑,%-!(𝑥% − 𝜇)
+
𝜎+ =
𝑁
Where
&'
𝑥% = 𝑖 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡
𝜇 = 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡
𝑁 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡.

Some properties of the variance

o One of the most useful measures of dispersion.
o All observations contribute in the computation.
o Always non-negative.

• Standard Deviation is the average deviation of the observations from the mean. It is usually
reported with the mean.

Where
𝑥% = 𝑖 &' 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡
𝜇 = 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡
𝑁 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑡.

• Coefficient of variation is a relative measure that indicates the magnitude of variation

relative to the magnitude of the mean, expressed in percentage, denoted as CV.

𝜎
𝐶𝑉 = W X ∗ 100%
𝜇

Some properties of the coefficient of variation

o It is unitless.
o It used to compare dispersion of two or more data sets with the same or different units.
o The higher the CV the more variable is the data set relative to its mean.

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Laguna State Polytechnic University
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Symmetry
A distribution is said to be symmetric about the mean if the distribution to the left of the mean is
the “mirror image” of the distribution to the right of the
mean.

Measure of Skewness
It describes the degree of departure of the distribution of
the data from symmetry. A symmetric distribution has 0 as
its skewness since its mean is equal to its median and its
mode.
3(𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛 − 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛)
𝑆𝐾 =
𝜎

Measure of Kurtosis

This describes the extent of peakedness or flatness of

the distribution of the data.
∑,
%-!(𝑥% − 𝜇)
+
𝐾= −3
𝑁𝜎 .

Box-and Whiskers Plot

It indicates the symmetry of the distribution and incorporates measures of location to describe the
variability of the observations. It is also called boxplot and it is used to identify the outliers in the
data set.

Steps in Constructing a Box-and Whiskers Plot

Step 1: Draw a rectangular box whose left edge is at 𝑄! and whose right edge is at 𝑄* . The box
length then is equal to 𝐼𝑄𝑅. Then draw a vertical line segment inside the box corresponding to the
median.
Step 2: Place marks at distances 𝐼 .5 𝐼𝑄𝑅 from both ends of the box.
Step 3: Draw the horizontal line segments known as the "whiskers" from each end of the box to
the largest and smallest values that are not outliers.

Notes: An observation beyond ±1.5 𝐼𝑄𝑅is an outlier.

If the largest and smallest values in the data set are outliers, extend the whiskers until 1.55
IQR from either ends of the box.

Step 4: For every outlier, draw a dot. For outliers having the same values, place the dots one on
top of the other.

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3.3 Applications to Social Sciences

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Understanding society
Social statistics are a means of investigating and testing research questions and policy impacts
across different areas of people’s lives. These observations help our understanding of society,
research questions include:

How are populations growing?

Are wealthy people happier?
Is society becoming more tolerant of diversity?
How do people cope with financial hardship?
Do people with higher qualifications earn more?
Does volunteering increase your sense of wellbeing?
Social statistics are a means of investigating and testing research questions and policy impacts
across different areas of people’s lives.

Social statistics in the real world

The United Nations Social Statistics Division analyses differences among social groups and
countries covering such issues as housing, health, education, conditions of work and employment.

It pays special attention to the study of conditions of special population groups, including children,
the elderly, the unemployed, and people with disabilities.

Compare the facts

Social statistics are also used to compare data from before and after a policy intervention.

For example, we need statistics to measure poverty in the first place and we then may want to
assess the impact and costs of a policy providing financial support to families living in poverty.

Patterns and relations

Statistical analysis techniques can be used to explore patterns and underlying relationships in data
sets, such as:

o in relation to people’s responses to multiple questions in a survey;

o to take account of aspects of people's circumstances such as the unemployment rates of
where they live; or
o the educational standards of the class and/or school they are studying in;

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Mathematics in the Modern World 18

 Republic of the Philippines
Laguna State Polytechnic University
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Province of Laguna
Level I Institutionally Accredited

o change can also be measured through longitudinal surveys where people are interviewed at
different points during their lives.

Statistical testing and modelling techniques can be used to generalise from small samples to larger
populations, for example:

o predicting the outcome of an election;

o attitudes towards the economy in a country.

Probability tests can be used to identify the key factor(s) associated with a particular outcome or
behaviour. For example, are older people more likely to be worried about being a victim of crime
than younger people once you have taken account of their family status, education, job and the
type of area they live in?

Statistics and employability

Skills in analysing data and using statistics are vital across the research areas of population change,
health, family life, the economy, well-being, education, employment, law and criminal justice,
housing and civic participation.

Even if you are primarily using qualitative data, skills in understanding the bigger picture can add to
the explanatory power of your empirical research.

For example, a study of long-term unemployment based around qualitative interviews can be
strengthened by a quantitative summary of the patterns and duration of unemployment at the local,
national land international level and how these patterns have changed over time.

End of Chapter 3

LSPU SELF-PACED LEARNING MODULE: Mathematics in the Modern World 19