Statistical Language

Statistics is a branch of mathematics dealing with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of numerical data.  

Data are records of measurement, observations, or simply counts. For example, the countries where people were born, or the number of phone calls received by the emergency services each day. They are collected as a source of information. 

When we talk about variables we mean characteristics, or quantity that can be measured or counted or recorded, for example countries or 'p'. 

So, data are the values of a variable. 

The below image is an example of a Data set or data table where measured or collected data values are represented as numbers or text. 

 

| Image: Example of a data table | 

 

 

| Image: a data table | 

Rows are individual items in the data set and columns list attributes of each item in a row. An attribute is thought of as a set of values describing some aspect across all observations. 

Each row is referred to as an observation and variables are the individual columns in each observation. Click on the next lecture to learn more about variables. 

When you’re ready, select Next to continue.