Summary Chapter I

Descriptive statistics is the quantitative measure of the sample.

Descriptive statistics are used to summarize sample data in ways that are
meaningful and useful. The mean, median, mode, standard deviation,
variance, range, quartiles, minimum, and maximum of the sample data are
some examples of descriptive statistics. Suppose the researcher is
interested in finding the average GPA score of all UK students. He selected
100 random students and recorded their GPA scores. Then he calculated the
mean and standard deviation of those 100 GPA scores. These mean and
standard deviations are descriptive statistics because they came from the
sample. The descriptive statistics are denoted by lowercase English letters.
For example, the mean is denoted by , the standard deviation is denoted
by, and the sample size is denoted by .
Inferential statistics are the quantitative measure of the population.
Descriptive statistics are used to make inferences about the population.
Suppose the researcher is interested in finding the average GPA score of all
UK students. He selected 100 random students and recorded their GPA
scores. Then he calculated the mean and standard deviation of those 100
GPA scores. These mean and standard deviations are descriptive statistics
because they came from the sample. Then he can use some statistical
methods by using these descriptive statistics to find inferential statistics.
The mean and standard deviation of all UK students will be inferential
statistics. The inferential statistics are denoted by Greek letters. For
example, the mean is denoted by, and the standard deviation is denoted by
.
(a) **Statistics:** Statistics is the field of study that involves collecting,
analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data to make informed decisions,
draw conclusions, and understand patterns and relationships in various
phenomena.

(b) **Biostatistics:** Biostatistics is the application of statistical methods to

biological and health-related data, involving the design of experiments,
analysis of data, and interpretation of results in the context of biological,
medical, and public health research.
(c) **Variable:** A variable is a characteristic or quantity that can vary or
take on different values within a dataset, often representing different
aspects or attributes of the objects or subjects being studied.

(d) **Quantitative Variable:** A quantitative variable is a type of variable

that represents numerical quantities and can be measured with meaningful
numeric values, allowing for mathematical operations like addition or
averaging.

(e) **Qualitative Variable:** A qualitative variable (also called a categorical

variable) is a type of variable that represents categories or labels and does
not have numerical value associated with it. It describes qualities or
characteristics.

(f) **Random Variable:** A random variable is a variable whose value is

subject to randomness or uncertainty, often used in probability theory and
statistics to model outcomes of random events.

(g) **Population:** In statistics, a population refers to the entire set of

individuals, items, or objects that are the subject of a study or analysis. It
encompasses all possible units of interest.

(h) **Finite Population:** A finite population is a population with a

countable and limited number of elements or individuals.

(i) **Infinite Population:** An infinite population is a population with an

uncountable or extremely large number of elements or individuals, making
it practically impossible to examine all of them.

(j) **Sample:** A sample is a subset of individuals or items selected from a

larger population, typically used for the purpose of studying and drawing
conclusions about the entire population.
(k) **Discrete Variable:** A discrete variable is a variable that can only take
distinct, separate values, often in the form of whole numbers. There are
gaps between possible values.

(l) **Continuous Variable:** A continuous variable is a variable that can take

any value within a certain range, including decimals and fractions. There
are no gaps between possible values.

(m) **Simple Random Sample:** A simple random sample is a sampling

method where each individual or item in the population has an equal chance
of being selected for the sample, and each possible sample of a given size
has an equal chance of being chosen.

(n) **Sampling with Replacement:** Sampling with replacement is a

sampling method where selected individuals are returned to the population
before the next election, allowing the same individual to be selected more
than once.

(o) **Sampling without Replacement:** Sampling without replacement is a

sampling method where selected individuals are not returned to the
population before the next election, ensuring that everyone can be selected
only once in each sample.
Measurement may be defined as the assignment of numbers to objects or
events in such a way as to represent quantities of attributes. The attributes
of objects, as well as people and events, are the underlying concepts that
need to be measured. The value, height, length, and weight are established
by measurement.

Measurement may be defined as the assignment of numbers to objects or

events in such a way as to represent quantities of attributes. The attributes
of objects, as well as people and events, are the underlying concepts that
need to be measured. The value, height, length, and weight are established
by measurement. There are four measurement scales.

1. The Nominal Scale

2. The Ordinal Scale

3. The Interval Scale

4. The Ratio Scale

The Nominal Scale: Names or category responses are measured by using a

nominal scale. For example, gender, favorite color, and religion are some
examples of variables measured on a nominal scale.

The Ordinal Scale: When category responses can be ranked, they are
measured by using the ordinal scale. For example, satisfaction with washing
machines can be classified as "very dissatisfied," "somewhat dissatisfied,"
"somewhat satisfied," or "very satisfied." The items in this scale are ordered.

The Interval Scale: Interval scales are quantitative scales in which zero does
not mean the absence of the value. For example, zero degrees Fahrenheit
does not represent the complete absence of temperature. Temperature is
measured by using an interval scale.

The Ratio Scale: Ratio scales are quantitative scales in which zero means
the absence of the value. For example, weight, length, and height are
measured by using ratio scale.

6. For each of the following variables, indicate whether it is quantitative or

qualitative and specify the measurement scale that is employed when taking
measurements on each:

(a) Class standing of the members of this class relative to each other

Qualitative Ordinal

(b) Admitting diagnosis of patients admitted to a mental health clinic

Qualitative Nominal

(c) Weights of babies born in a hospital during a year

Quantitative Ratio

(d) Gender of babies born in a hospital during a year

Qualitative Nominal
(e) Range of motion of elbow joint of students enrolled in a university health
sciences curriculum

Quantitative Ratio

(f) Under-arm temperature of day-old infants born in a hospital

Quantitative Interval
7. For each of the following situations, answer questions a through e:
Situation A. A study of 300 households in a small southern town revealed
that 20 percent had at least one school-age child present.
(a) What is the sample in the study? n=300
(b) What is the population? The population is all households in a small
southern town.
(c) What is the variable of interest? The variable of interest is “Do
households have at least one school-age child present.”
(d) How many measurements were used in calculating the reported results?
The response for the variable “Do households have at least one school-age
child present” is categorical and cannot be ranked.
(e) What measurement scale was used? Qualitative Nominal

Situation B. A study of 250 patients admitted to a hospital during the past

year revealed that, on average, the patients lived 15 miles from the hospital.
(a) What is the sample in the study? n=250
(b) What is the population? The population is all patients admitted to a
hospital during the past year.
(c) What is the variable of interest? The variable of interest is “Distance the
hospital lives away from the hospital.”
(d) How many measurements were used in calculating the reported results?
The response for the variable “Distance the patient lives away from the
hospital” is quantitative and zero distance means the absence of the value.
(e) What measurement scale was used? Quantitative Ratio
8. Consider the two situations given in Exercise 7.
For Situation A describe how you would use a stratified random sample to
collect the data.
In the stratified random sample, first, we classify the population into
groups of similar individuals, called strata. Then choose the SRS of the
individuals or subjects in each stratum and combine these SRSs of the
individuals or subjects to form the full sample. Here the population is all
households in a small southern town. First, divide all households according
to pin code to form a stratum. Now select some households from each
stratum. Combine all selected households to form a stratified random
sample.
For Situation B describe how you would use systematic sampling of patient
records to collect the data.

In the systematic sample, we chose a random starting point between 1

and k then pick every individual, where:

Here the population is all patients admitted to a hospital during the past
year. First, make a list of all patients admitted to a hospital during the past
year and assign them a number. Now starting from any number between 1
and k, select every patient to form a systematic sample.