Exactly What Do Math Statistics Mean? 

Essentially, statistics is the study of methods for collecting and analyzing data, as well as the theory that underlies these methods. Statisticians use techniques such as mathematical analysis, linear algebra, stochastic analysis, differential equations, and measure-theoretic probability theory to develop and test statistical models. 

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The Root of Statistics

Often, statistical studies begin with questions about the nature of particular phenomena. This can be anything from a football game to an electrical RLC circuit. The goal is to find patterns that can be used to explain the outcome of the event. 

The first step in solving these problems is to gather data. There are many ways to collect data, but one of the most common is to simply count the number of times a particular variable is present in a set of data. 

There are many different types of data that can be collected, and each has its own characteristics. Some of these characteristics are reflected in the way data is represented. 

In terms of the variables that are used to represent data, there are two main categories: discrete and continuous. The latter is more common, but may not be appropriate in some situations. 

When a data set is normally distributed, the mean is often the best choice for a descriptor of this kind. The mean is found by adding all of the values in the set together and dividing it by the number of items in the set. 

For a data set that is heavily skewed, the median can be more helpful. This is because the median is a measure of midpoints. 

Unlike the mean, which can be distorted by extreme values or even when the distribution is not normal, the median remains relatively stable. This is especially useful when comparing numbers that are different in size, such as the speeds of different four-legged animals. 

Another type of average is called the harmonic mean. This is an important tool for measuring the central location of data, and it has a strong application in fields that study the waveforms of sine waves. 

Some other common mathematical means include the arithmetic mean and the geometric mean. Both of these have very narrow applications in various branches of mathematics, so it is unlikely that you will encounter them if you are studying elementary statistics. However, it is worth mentioning that the arithmetic mean can be a little shaky and has been shown to give incorrect information. This can be particularly true when it is used to estimate the population size.