Module 2: Quantitative Reasoning
Week 4
Overview
• What is QR?
• Why it is important?
• Steps it involves?
• Concepts of all the methods used in QR
• Applications?
Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
• QR is the application of mathematical concepts and skills
to solve real-world problems – reading and using
quantitative data, understanding quantitative evidence and
applying basic quantitative skills to the solution of real-life
problems.
• QR is the power of mind to search out quantitative
information, critique it, reflect upon it, and apply it in real-
life.
• QR is the process of interpreting and reasoning with
quantitative information.
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What is the importance of QR?
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What is the importance of QR?
• Managers, healthcare professionals, business executives,
architects, engineers, real estate agents, and scientists
need quantitative reasoning measure. The
professionals mentioned above need to apply quantitative
skills in their day-to-day life.
• Diagrams, charts/plots, and graphs are beneficial when
figuring out how to solve a problem based on analysing
the information given using either math skills or the
ability to think quantitatively.
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What is the importance of QR?
• Schools and businesses depend more and more on
accurate data about the quantitative reasoning ability
of applicants and students for admission, peer group
analysis, hiring, and figuring out how well training
programs work.
• QR is now a tool that almost everyone uses, whether
directly or indirectly.
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QR Cycle
• QR problems are context
dependent, interdisciplinary,
open-ended tasks that require
critical thinking.
• The output of QR is often a
model that is then applied within
the context of the situation to
answer a question.
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Qualitative versus Quantitative
Any difference?
• Qualitative reasoning questions focus on verbal and
written data.
• But, quantitative reasoning questions focus on
numbers.
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What are the four steps of the QR
process?
1. Framing concrete numerical questions
2. Identifying tools and data for analysis
3. Building models to analyse the data
4. Analysing the results, you obtained
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Example: House Price Estimation
1. Framing concrete numerical questions
Estimating or predicting the house price (decide on the
time horizon)
2. Identifying tools and data for analysis
Data required: age, area, quality, - any other?
Basic Tool: to analyse the data – Excel
3. Building models to analyse the data
Basic descriptive approach or higher-level models -
Estimation or predictive model
4. Analysing the results, you obtained
Interpret the results obtained
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Any other examples?
• Finance/Business
• Medicine/healthcare
• Engineering
• Environmental
• Social science
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Application to perform a basic data analysis –
Tutorial 3.1 & 3.2
• In the two week’s activities, the students will learn the step-by-step methods
involved in performing data analysis.
• Upon completion of the lesson, students will be able to apply quantitative
reasoning techniques to analyse data to support decision-making.
• In week 4:
– You will learn about data cleaning. To do data cleaning, first you need to understand your
data, what information/details are collected, the parameters used to collect those details,
and meaning of numerical data collected.
– Once you understand your data, then some basic data cleaning methods can be applied.
Refer to the basics of data cleaning readings provided. Follow the instructions given to you
in tutorial 3.1 to complete this data cleaning activity.
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