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Module 1-2

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Module 1-2

Uploaded by

hope.arsima
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© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Module 1-2: Data and Variables

Population: the entire set of individuals or objects that we are interested


in studying.
Sample: a subset of the population selected to study.

Example:
A consumer organization carries out crash tests on new model cars. In
order to determine the severity of damage sustained by a 2020 Toyota
Corolla from a 20-kph crash into a concrete wall, the researchers test eight
randomly selected cars of this type and assess the amount of damage.
(a) What is the population of interest?

(b) What is the sample?

Data: values with context.


Observation: each individual piece of data.
Parameter: a numerical summary of population data.
Statistic: a numerical summary of sample data.
Variable: a characteristic recorded about each individual/object.
Variables are classified into two main types:
(1) qualitative or categorical variables:
(a) nominal variables
(b) ordinal variables
(c) identifier variables
(2) quantitative or numerical variable
(a) discrete variables
(b) continuous variables

Module 1 - 2 Page 1 of 6
Qualitative or Categorical Variable: a variable that puts a subject
into one of several groups, categories, or levels.
ˆ Data values not obtained by taking measurements on a numerical scale
or counting.
ˆ Numbers may appear as values, but as a label, not a quantity.

Nominal Variable: a categorical variable whose values are only used to


name categories. It’s values have no order.

Ordinal Variable: a categorical variable whose values have an order,


but with no natural units.

Identifier Variable: a categorical variable which records a unique value


for each subject that is used solely to identify or name it.

Module 1 - 2 Page 2 of 6
Quantitative or Numerical Variable: a variable whose values are a
numerical quantity (often obtained from counting or measuring something).

Discrete: a quantitative variable that can only take on a finite (or count-
able) number of distinct separate values.

Continuous: a quantitative variable that can take on any real number


as a value (or any real number in one or more intervals.)

Module 1 - 2 Page 3 of 6
Example: For each of the following, indicate the type of variable that
records the given values:

(1) Brand of calculator (Casio, Sharp,Texas Instrument).

(2) Thickness of polar ice caps in several locations (in meters).

(3) International Standard Book Number (ISBN).

(4) Movie ratings (G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17)

(5) Number of radioactive particles to escape from a container within a


one-hour period.

(6) Time for a computer program to compile (in seconds).

(7) Length in words of an email received.

(8) Political affiliation (Liberal, Conservative, Bloc, NDP, Green, Indepen-


dent).

(9) Type of medal won by Canadian Olympic medalists (Gold, Silver,


Bronze)

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Example: A building contractor is interested in buying a lot of 5000
bricks at an auction. She would like to know the proportion of bricks in
the lot that are cracked and hence unusable. Since she doesn’t have enough
time to inspect all of the bricks, she checks 100 randomly selected bricks
to determined if each one is cracked.

(a) Population:

(b) Variable:

(c) Type of variable:

(d) Population parameter:

(e) Sample:

(f) Sample statistic:

Module 1 - 2 Page 5 of 6
Example: A TV station executive wants to know the average age of the
viewers of the station’s nightly news program. He randomly selects 500 of
the station’s nightly news viewers and records the age of each person.

(a) Population:

(b) Variable:

(c) Type of variable:

(d) Population parameter:

(e) Sample:

(f) Sample statistic:

Module 1 - 2 Page 6 of 6

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