Workshop Statistics: Discovery with Data and Fathom
Topic 1: Data and Variables
Activity 1-1: Word Lengths
Answers will vary from student to student.
Activity 1-2: Types of Variables
(a)
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hair color: categorical
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number of students with red hair: does not vary from student to student
so not a variable on these observational units
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height of tallest student in your class is a characteristic of the class,
not the individual students, so not a variable for these observational
units
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whether or not a student has red hair: binary
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height: quantitative
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instructor’s age is a characteristic of the class not the individual students
so not a variable on these observational units
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zip code: categorical (puts different students into different categories)
(b) Number of students in the class does vary from class to class so with
class as the observational unit, the variable is quantitative
(c)
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gender: binary
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length: quantitative
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number of states visited: quantitative
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political identification: categorical
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penny question: categorical
(d) "letters per word" measures a characteristic of each word and varies
from word to word so the words are the observational units
(e) categorical
(f) with each state you will give a yes/no answers, so binary
Activity 1-3: Penny Thoughts
Anyswers will vary from class to class.
Activity 1-4: Value of Statistics
(a) - (d) Answers will vary from class to class.
(e) Probable order: C, D, E, A, B, but remember to be able to justify
your choices as well.
Activity 1-5: Students' Travels
Answers will vary from class to class.
Activity 1-6: Parents' Ages
(a) They seem similar in shape: a big lump and trailing off to the right.
The mother ages seem to be a little bit smaller, peaking around 20, than
the father’s ages, peaking around 25.
(b) Maybe 20 for the mothers and 25 for the fathers. Females seem to
have their first child at a younger age than males.