1. Fundamental Statistical Concepts

Try these first

1. 1.

   Define population and sample in your own words.

   Hint

   Think about a classroom versus a school.

2. 2.

   What is the purpose of descriptive statistics?

   Hint

   Consider how you might explain the main points of data to someone.

3. 3.

   What is a population in statistics?

   • All individuals of interest
   • A small subset of data
   • The average of data

   Hint

   Think about who is included in your survey.

4. 4.

   True or False: A sample is always a perfect representation of the population.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Consider sampling errors or biases.

5. 5.

   A civil engineer is trying to estimate average water pressure in pipelines across a city. If she takes samples from 100 homes and finds an average of 55 psi with a standard deviation of 10 psi, how confident can she be in this sample's representation of the greater city population?

   Hint

   Consider the role of sample size and randomness.

6. 6.

   Given the following set of sensor data on material strain: 5, 10, 15, 20, calculate the mean, median, standard deviation, and detect any outliers.

   Hint

   Apply proper formulas for calculating each measure.