Introduction

Statistics is a branch of mathematics that deals with collecting, analyzing, presenting, and interpreting data. Many different fields use statistics as a way to understand complex relationships by collecting and analyzing data and presenting the results in a meaningful way. For instance, a researcher in education may want to know if using computers in an algebra classroom can be effective in helping students build their mathematical skills. To answer this question, the researcher could collect data about computer usage and mathematical skills and try to extract information in a meaningful way. A marketing manager for a luxury car manufacturer may want to know whether or not customers are satisfied with their luxury car purchase. The manager may collect data for a sample of their customers and then use this data to make a generalization to the larger group of all their luxury car buyers. In other fields, such as environmental science, researchers may want to figure out the factors that may contribute to global warming by collecting data about the makes and models of automobiles emitting larger amounts of greenhouse gas.