Assignment #1 Chapter 1 Looking at Data: Distributions: Problems: 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.
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1. Data distributions pp. 1-7:
Cases: #1, #2, #3, #4 on the chart below
Variables: lastname, firstnam, q1, q2, q3, etc
Values: The numbers entered below variable names
Label: identifies what a variable depicts: Example: “q1” might be labeled “first quiz”; “abs” may be labeled “number of
absences”; “fin” might be labeled “final exam”
Categorical: different categories, e.g., gender (male, female); denomination (Baptist, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, etc)
Quantitative: Contain numbers that range from low to high for each variable. Examples: Each of the quizzes range from
0-17, “mid” ranges from 1-80; “total” ranges from 0-400; “percent” ranges from 0 to 100.
Key characteristics of data set: The three questions (Who? What? Why?): Example: Who? Students in the 2008
Developmental Psychology class. What? All scored items during the semester including total points and percentages.
Why? To determine student performance for the semester.
Homework problems:
1.11. (p. 7) How would you rank cities? Various organizations rank cities and produce lists of the 10 or the 100 best
cities based on various measures. Create a list of criteria that you would use to rank cities to determine where you might
like to live. Include at least eight variables. Identify whether each variable is Quantitative (Q) or Categorical (C). Rate how
important each is to you personally
Importance
Quantitative or
Variable 5 4 3 2 1
Categorical
Very important Not so important
1. Number of tourist attractions Q 2.5
2. Quality of public transportation Q 1
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.11. (p. 8) Survey of students. A survey of students in an Intro to Statistics course are asked the following questions
(listed in the “Variable” column below). Classify variables as Quantitative (Q) or Categorical (C); provide possible range of
values
Variable Quant or Cat Possible range of values
1. Age
2. Like to sing? (yes, no)
3. Play a musical instrument (no, a little, pretty well)
4. How much spent on food in a typical month?
5. Height (inches or centimeters)
1.12. (p. 8) What questions would you ask? Refer to the previous exercise. Make up your own survey with at least six
questions (Including at least two quantitative and two categorical). Include possible range of values.
Notice that problem #2 includes very strange set of questions to ask Statistics students. In order for questions to make
sense, there must be an objective for the survey. Examples: (a) How satisfied were you with the Statistics course you just
completed? (b) What factors influence a student’s likelihood of success in a Statistics course? (c) Rate the instructor’s
effectiveness at teaching a Statistics course.
What is the objective of your 6-item survey?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Identify questions (in the chart below) that might accomplish this objective.
Variable Quant or Cat Possible range of values
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1.13. (p. 8) How would you rate colleges? Describe five variables that would be important to you when choosing a
college or university to complete your studies. Give reasons for importance of each item.
Variable Quant or Cat Why is this important to you?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.