Statistics in Life

It is virtually impossible for any individual to not encounter some type of statistics throughout ones day. Statistics occurs whether one even realizes it is happening or not. From pouring a cup of coffee and reading the paper in the morning to reading a billboard on the drive into work statistics are there. “Statistics is the science of conducting studies to collect, organize, summarize, analyze, and draw conclusions from data.”

Statistics in the Newspaper

Every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday it is common practice around our home to read the local paper from front to back. One of the sections I find most interesting is the unemployment section. I find the unemployment most interesting since I am currently unemployed at the present time. The unemployment section of the paper is filled with the current local, state and national statistics for those unemployed and what the current unemployed rate is. Along with these statistics the newspaper will also show graphs to give a visual view of averages to give a better idea to the reader as to what is going on with the nation’s unemployment and the status of the national recession.

Statistics in the Weather

Another are of statistics I find most useful in my daily life is the weather forecast. The weather and the forecast are very important to my family since my children walk to school. The weather forecast is also important to me and the little girl I babysit so we know whether or not we get to take our daily walks and go to the park and play on that day. One thing I have learned from weather forecasts is that when it says that there is a 30% chance of rain that statistically only 30% of the area will receive the rain.

Statistics in a Checkbook

One more statistical item I use within my daily life is descriptive statistics when I balance my checkbook and organize the data within it to ensure I have collected all my debits and credits for the day. “Descriptive statistics consists of the collection,...