Statistics-Definitions of Key Terms

1. Absolute error – the difference between the actual value and the measured value. It is the
actual size the error with NO sign
2. Age Specific birth rate – birth rate obtained for specific age groups
3. Age Specific death ate – death rate obtained for specific age groups
4. Age Specific Rate – rate obtained for specific age groups (such as fertility, death, birth,
illiteracy, enrollment, marriage, etc…)
5. Approximation – a stated value of a number that is close to (but not equal to) the true value
of the number. The symbol for approximation is ≈ and is ready ‘approximately equal to’
6. Average percentage
7. Average percentage base period
8. Bar chart – a frequency diagram using rectangles of equal widths whose heights or lengths
are proportional to the frequency
9. Base year – year of reference or the starting year on which calculations for index numbers are
based; the starting point for the construction of an index number series
10. Biased sampling – sampling in which some elements are given a more chance of being
selected than others
11. Categorical variable – a variable that cannot be described in numerical terms. The variable
takes on values that are names or labels
12. Census – the collection of data from a population
13. Combined events – two or more separate events or outcomes considered as a single event or
outcome
14. Conditional probability – the probability of an event occurring when it is known that another
event must occur first
15. Continuous data – data that takes a range of values on a number line. It is a result of measuring
and rounding off, e.g. weight or height
16. Correlation – an assessment of the strength of two pieces of data
17. Crude birth rate – the number of live births per 1000 of population in a given year
18. Crude death rate – the number of deaths per 1000 of population in a given year
19. Cumulative frequency – the total of all the frequencies of a data set up to a group of data
20. Cumulative frequency curve – a diagram which all the various cumulative frequencies are
plotted, each against the data value for which it has been calculated
21. Cyclic variation – medium-term changes in results caused by circumstances which repeat in
cycles, for example booms and slumps in the economy
22. Data – a collection of unprocessed facts. Most data can be grouped into quantitative or
qualitative data.
23. Deciles –
24. Demographic rates – the frequency of demographic events in a population during a given
period of time, usually one year, expressed as a ratio of the population at risk of such an event
25. Dependent Variable – a variable whose value changes in response to changes in the
independent variable
26. Descriptive statistics – branch of statistics which deals with the collection, organisation,
presentation of data
27. Discrete data – data that takes on a specific value. It is a result of counting, e.g. number of
learners in a statistics class or number of books in the library
28. Error – the difference between the value of an approximation or an estimation and its true
value. It may or may not have a plus (+) or minus (–) sign attached indicating whether it is too
big or too small.
29. Estimation – an approximation of a quantity, usually decided by judgement rather than
carrying out the process needed to produce a more accurate answer
30. Event – either an activity or some specific result of that activity
31. Expenditure index
32. Experiment – a controlled study in which the researcher attempts to understand cause-and-
effect relationships. The study is "controlled" in the sense that the researcher controls (1) how
subjects are assigned to groups and (2) which treatments each group receives.
33. Experimental probability – the chance of an event occurring after it has been tried several
times
34. Extrapolation – an estimation of the likely value of an unknown piece of data, falling outside
the range of some known data and based on the evidence provided by that known data
35. Frequency – the number of times each data item of that data is appearing
36. Frequency polygon – a frequency diagram which is made of closed geometric shape made up
of line segments
37. Grouped data – data that has been bunched or put into categories according to some particular
rules to make it easier to handle
38. Growth rate – the amount at which something is increasing or decreasing
39. Histograms – a frequency diagram which uses rectangles whose widths are proportional to the
class interval and whose areas are proportional to the frequency
40. Interquartile range – the difference between the 3rd quartile and the 1st quartile
41. Independent Variable – variable whose values are changed or controlled by the investigator
in an experiment in order to see its effects on the dependent variable
42. Index numbers – numbers that are used to compare the growth of some measurable quantities
by studying the multiplier needed to make the new value from the old one
43. Inferential statistics – a branch of statistics which is concerned with drawing conclusions
44. Interpolation – an estimation of the likely value of an unknown piece of data, falling within
the range of some known data and based on the evidence provided by that known data
45. Interviews – a method of data collection in which the researcher asks questions and the
respondent gives answers verbally. The research then writes down the answers
46. Line graphs
47. Line of best fit – a trend line drawn on a scattergram
48. Lower quartile – the 25th percentile; one quarter of the data (26%) of all data must have a
value that is equal or equal to the lower quartile.
49. Mean – the sum of the terms divided by the number of terms. It is a number that describes the
central tendency of the data
50. Measurement
51. Median – the middle value when the elements of a data set are arranged in ascending or
descending order
52. Mode – the data value with the highest frequency in a data set
53. Moving average – a mean that is found by recalculating the mean whenever a new piece of
data is added to the list
54. Negative correlation – a correlation in which an increase in the value of one data value tends
to be matched by a decrease in the other
55. Non-random sampling – sampling in which elements have different chances of being selected
56. Numerical variable – a variable that takes on values that are indicated by numerical numbers
57. Observational Study – a data collection technique in which data is collected from the
elements of study in their natural state
58. Outcome – the actual result on an activity
59. Parameter – a number that is used to represent a population characteristic and generally cannot
be determined easily
60. Percentage error – relative error expressed as a percentage
61. Percentile – when a data set is divided into 100 equal parts and is arranged in order of size,
the nth percentile is the value of the data that must be less than or equal to that value; and n
must be a whole number from 1 to 99
62. Period – any measurable portion of time that the researcher uses for forecasting, for example,
days, weeks, months, quarters or years
63. Periodic variations – components in a time series which tend to repeat themselves over a
certain period of time
64. Pictogram – a frequency diagram using a symbol or picture to represent many units of data
65. Pie chart – a circular frequency diagram using sectors whose angles at the centre are
proportional to the frequency
66. Population – all the items or objects or measurements whose properties are being studied
67. Population Growth Rate – the rate at which a population is increasing (or decreasing) in a
given year due to natural increase and net migration, expressed as a percentage of the base
population
68. Positive correlation – a correlation in which an increase in one value of data tends to be
matched by an increase in the other
69. Price relative – a price relative or simple price index is the ratio of the price of a commodity
at a particular time to its price at another time
70. Primary data – data collected for the first time and for the current problem, usually by the
person performing the statistics with that data
71. Probability – a chance of something happening. A number between 0 and, inclusive, that gives
the likelihood that a specific event will occur
72. Probability space (see outcome space)
73. Proportion – the number of successes divided by the number in the sample
74. Qualitative data – an attribute whose value is indicated by name or label
75. Quantitative data – an attribute whose value is indicated by a number. Quantitative data can
be divided into two groups: discrete and continuous data
76. Quartiles – values that divide a data set into four approximately equal parts. Each part consists
of approximately 25% of the elements of the data set. There are 3 quartiles and these are Q1,
Q2 and Q3
77. Questionnaire – a data collection technique in which questions are written down and the
respondent responds by writing down the answers
78. Quota sampling – a sampling method which is done by deciding in advance how many of the
population, in each of the categories, are to be chosen
79. Random sampling – a sampling technique in which all elements have an equal chance of
being selected
80. Random variations – non-recurring variations with no definite pattern
81. Randomness – lacking pattern
82. Range – the difference between the maximum and minimum values
83. Relative error – absolute error expressed as a fraction of the actual measurement
84. Representative sample – a subset of a population having the same characteristics as the
population it was chosen from
85. Sample – a subset of a population under study
86. Sample space – a list of all the possible outcomes; can be in the form of an actual list, a table
or a formula
87. Sampling – the process of selecting a sample from a population
88. Scatter diagrams – a graph that shows the relationship between two variables. It is also called
a scattergram, a scatter plot or a scatter graph
89. Seasonal variation – short-term variations or fluctuations in recorded values, due to different
circumstances for example, sales of ice creams will tend to be highest in the summer months
and lowest in winter
90. Secondary data – data collected from existing sources and was collected for some other
purpose, usually by another person other than the person performing the statistics
91. Semi quartile range – interquartile range divided by 2
92. Simple random sampling –
93. Standard deviation – the square root of variance
94. Standardized death rate – a death rate in which has been adjusted to in order to
95. Statistic – a number that is used to represent a sample characteristic. It estimates the
corresponding population parameter
96. Statistics – a branch of mathematics which deals with the collection, presentation, analysis
and interpretation of data
97. Stratified sampling – a sampling technique in which the population is divided into groups (or
strata), according to some criterion and then taking an appropriate sample from each of these
groups
98. Survey – the collection of data from a sample
99. Systematic sampling – a method of collecting data from a sample of a population which
has been arranged in some order
100. Tally system – a physical recording system of an amount; usually applied to a system
which records the amount as it is being counted
101. Theoretical probability – probability that is based on experience, facts and knowledge
102. Time series – a collection of ordered observations recorded at a specific time, for example,
hours, months, or years. It gives several values of a measurement taken at regular intervals
103. Time series graph – a diagram that shows a possible set of values for a time series, and
is often used to make predictions about what is going to happen
104. Trend – in a time series, the trend is an indication of the general direction of its
movement over the period of time for which the measurements were made
Trend line – a single line that best represents the general direction of a set of points
105. Trial
106. Ungrouped data – data whose values stand as individual elements
107. Unweighted aggregate cost index
108. Unweighted average
109. Upper quartile – the 75th percentile; thee qurters of the data must have a value that is less
than or equal the upper quartile
110. Variable – a characteristic of each item or object in a population. A variable can take
different values
111. Variance – a measure spread or dispersion of a data set. It is the mean of the sums of the
squares of the deviations from the mean.
112. Variations – all measurements taken from a time series
113. Weighted aggregate cost index
114. Weighted average – the average value found after each element of the data set has been
multiplied by some factor which gives a measure of its importance or its frequency of
happening
115. y = ax + b the equation of a straight line which has a gradient of the value a and the y-
intercept at c.