What does statistics mean for kids

The lesson uses Excel to visualize the basketball example of binomial distribution. Introduction to Poisson Processes and the Poisson Distribution.

In this lesson, learn that a scatter plot is a graph in which the data is plotted as points on a coordinate grid. A 'best-fit line' can be drawn to determine the trend in the data. Search Videos. Suggestions are screened by our panel of teachers. Today's Spotlight Daily Bell Ringers. Related math topics: Ratio, Rate, Percent , Probability. Videos are embedded and streamed directly from video sites such as YouTube and others.

NeoK12 makes learning fun and interesting with educational videos, games and activities for kids on Science, Math, Social Studies and English. Bar Graphs - Math Lesson Grade: 2 - 6 In this lesson, learn that a bar graph is a visual way to display and compare numerical data.

Histograms - Math Lesson Grade: 2 - 6 In this lesson, learn that a histogram is a type of bar graph that shows the frequency of data in various intervals.

Pictographs and Line Plots - Math Lesson Grade: 2 - 6 In this lesson, learn that a line plot is a graph that shows the shape of a data set by using x's above each value on a number line. Line Graphs - Math Lesson Grade: 2 - 6 In this lesson, learn that a line graph is used to show change over time, and the points on a line graph are plotted like the points on a coordinate grid. Grade: 5 - 12 Learn what statistics is. Statistics: The Average Grade: 5 - 12 Introduction to descriptive statistics and central tendency.

Statistics: Sample vs. Population Mean Grade: 5 - 12 The difference between the mean of a sample and the mean of a population. Statistics: Variance of a Population Grade: 5 - 12 Variance of a population.

Statistics: Sample Variance Grade: 5 - 12 Using the variance of a sample to estimate the variance of a population. Statistics: Standard Deviation Grade: 5 - 12 Review of what we've learned. Introduction to Random Variables Grade: 8 - 12 Introduction to random variables and probability distribution functions. Probability Density Functions - Math Lesson Grade: 8 - 12 The video lesson explains probability density functions for continuous random variables.

Binomial Distribution, 1 Grade: 8 - 12 Introduction to the binomial distribution. Binomial Distribution, 2 Grade: 8 - 12 More on the binomial distribution.

The first known statistics are census data. Before we can describe the world with statistics, we must collect data. The data that we collect in statistics are called measurements. After we collect data, we use one or more numbers to describe each observation or measurement.

For example, suppose we want to find out how popular a certain TV show is. We can pick a group of people called a sample out of the total population of viewers. Then we ask each one how often they watch the show, or better we measure it by attaching a counter to each of their television sets. For another example, if we want to know whether a certain drug can help lower blood pressure , we could give the drug to people for some time and measure their blood pressure before and after. Most often we collect statistical data by doing surveys or experiments.

To do a survey, we pick a small number of people and ask them questions. Then, we use their answers as the data.

The choice of which individuals to take for a survey or data collection is important, as it directly influences the statistics. When the statistics are done, it can no longer be determined which individuals are taken.

Suppose we want to measure the water quality of a big lake. If we take samples next to the waste drain, we will get different results than if the samples are taken in a far away, hard to reach, spot of the lake. We can reduce chance errors by taking a larger sample, and we can avoid some bias by choosing randomly. However, sometimes large random samples are hard to take. And bias can happen if different people are not asked, or refuse to answer our questions, or if they know they are getting a fake treatment.

These problems can be hard to fix. See also standard error. The middle of the data is called an average. The average tells us about a typical individual in the population. There are three kinds of average that are often used: the mean , the median and the mode. Where are the data and is the population size.

This means that you add up all the values , and then divide by the number of values. In our example. The problem with the mean is that it does not tell anything about how the values are distributed.

Values that are very large or very small change the mean a lot. In statistics, these extreme values might be errors of measurement, but sometimes the population really does contain these values. Even though it is the average amount, the mean in this case is not the amount any single person makes, and is probably useless. The median is the middle item of the data.

To find the median we sort the data from the smallest number to the largest number and then choose the number in the middle. If there is an even number of data, there will not be a number right in the middle, so we choose the two middle ones and calculate their mean.