TABLE OF CONTENTS Statistics is as old as human society itself.
It is difficult to imagine any face of our life untouched by numerical data. Modern society is essentially data-oriented. It is, therefore, essential to know how to extract useful information from such data. This is the primary objective of statistics. Statistics concerns itself with the collection, presentation and drawing of inferences from numerical data which vary.
In a singular sense, statistics is used to describe the principles and methods which are employed in collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation of data. These devices help to simplify the complex data and make it possible for a common man to understand it without much difficulty. The human mind is unable to assimilate complicated data at a stretch. Statistical methods make these figures intelligible and readily understandable.
In a plural sense, statistics is considered as a numerical description of the quantitative aspect of things.
Definition. Statistics is the science which deals with methods of collecting, classifying, presenting, comparing and interpreting numerical data collected to throw light on any sphere of enquiry.
A quantity which can vary from one individual to another is called a variable or variate, e.g., heights, weights, ages, wages of persons, rainfall records of cities etc.
Quantities which can take any numerical value within a certain range are called con tinuous variables e.g., as a child grows, his/her height takes all possible values from 50 cm to 100 cm.
Quantities which are incapable...
