3 - Introduction To Inferential Statistics
3 - Introduction To Inferential Statistics
Inferen-al Sta-s-cs
Descrip-ve Sta-s-cs
• It helps organize data and focuses on main characteristics of data
• It provides summary of data numerically
Inferen-al Sta-s-cs
• Inferential statistics is all about describing the larger picture of the analysis
with a limited set of data and deriving conclusions from it.
• Basically, inferential statistics aims at drawing conclusions on populations
based on the taken data samples.
• It uses a random sample of data taken from a population to describe and make
inferences about the population.
Inferen-al Sta-s-cs
• Inferential Statistics is used to draw inferences beyond the immediate data
available.
• In inferential statistics we use methods that rely on probability theory and
distribution helping us to predict, in particular, the population’s values based
on sample data.
• Inferential statistics helps us answer the following questions:
• Making inferences about a population from a sample
• Concluding whether a sample is significantly different from the population
Inferen-al Sta-s-cs
• There are two main areas of inferential statistics:
• Estimating parameters - taking a statistic from your sample data (for example the
sample mean) and using it to find something about a population parameter (i.e. the
population mean).
• Hypothesis tests - use sample data to answer research questions. For example,
finding if a new cancer drug is effective or not. Or if breakfast helps children
perform better in schools.
Inferen-al Sta-s-cs
• Prerequisites for understanding Inferential Statistics -
• Descriptive Statistics
• Probability
• Probability Distributions
Probability Distribu-on
Type of data
• Discrete
• Can take only specified values
• Continuous
• Can take any value within a given range
Terminologies
• Random Variable
• Whose value is determined by the outcome of a random experiment
• Discrete random variable
• Whose set of assumed values is countable (arises from counting)
• Continuous random variable
• Whose set of assumed values is uncountable (arises from measurement.)
Probability Distribu-on
• In statistics, with distribution we usually mean probability distribution
• A probability distribution is a function that shows the possible values for a
variable and how often they occur.
• A probability distribution is a list of all of the possible outcomes of a random
variable along with their corresponding probability values.
• For eg. rolling a dice, tossing a coin, measuring weight of a student etc
Probability Distribu-on
• Kind of variable determines the type of probability distribution -
• Discrete probability distributions for discrete variables
• Probability density functions for continuous variables
Discrete Probability Distribu-on
• Also known as Probability Mass Functions.
• For example - coin tosses, rolling a dice
• Each possible value has a non-zero likelihood
• The probabilities for all possible values must sum to one
Discrete Probability Distribu-on