Statistics - Vocabulary

Statistics is an area of mathematics that involves the use of charts, tables, and graphs to collect and interpret information. A key tool within statistics is the tally chart, which employs lines instead of numbers to represent data, allowing for easy and efficient data collection. For instance, a tally chart could be used to record the quantity of different types of clothing owned, such as shirts, trousers, and jumpers. The term 'total' refers to the final amount obtained after adding together all the relevant information. Additionally, 'altogether' is used to express the sum of data, while 'more' and 'less' are comparative terms used to describe quantities in relation to one another.

Understanding statistics also involves grasping the concept of 'difference', which is the result of subtracting one number from another. Pictograms are another fundamental statistical tool, where pictures or symbols are used to represent data, and can be presented in horizontal or vertical formats. The 'key' in a pictogram explains the value of each symbol used. Block diagrams are charts that use varying block heights to show the values of collected information. The 'result' is the final outcome of a task, and 'data' refers to information related to a person or place. Other important terms in statistics include 'interpret', which means to understand the meaning of information, 'value', which indicates the worth of something, 'most popular' and 'least popular' for items with the highest and lowest votes respectively, and 'table', which arranges information in rows and columns. The 'scale' and 'interval' on a bar chart help to quantify and measure the data collected.