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Winter Math Reflection

Thayer R. Stowers
Correlation Mini Project
A clear explanation of the problem/skill/concept that anyone could understand:
In this project we were asked to create a correlation between two different subjects which equal to one
single outcome. I tested to see if using alcohol can lead to a harder drug such as marijuana. I collected
the data on how many people in each state drink socially compared to how many people use marijuana in
each state and used statistical evidence to see if there was a correlation.
Evidence of the process you went through to solve it/master it/understand it:
I found a data base that showed the amount of people in the U.S who use marijuana in the past month by
age and one that shows the amount of people in the U.S who Drink socially. I found the Marijuana data
from the washington post that showed where Americans smoked the most (
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/08/05/where-americans-smoke-marijuanathe-most ) and where americans drink the most. I put the data I found into a spread sheet and found a
correlation between the data.
1. A link to my spreadsheet,
https://docs.google.com/a/animashighschool.com/spreadsheets/d/1rfY2JYRYOuvcBkvGBum30mzjeJJ
WG4cGBZS-PeWQ1GE/edit#gid=0
Computations:
2. n

3. r

4. r^2

5. t

6. 50
7. 0.59
8. 0.35
9. 4.12
Overall, the correlation on marijuana users who drink is more than 99% accurate and less than 1% luck.
Proof that you completely understand the ideas discussed (dont be afraid to get technical here,
perhaps with annotated problems that you solved):
The likelihood of marijuana users who also drink socially is less than 1% being chance. There is a 99%
correlation of marijuana users who drink. The logic behind this correlation is that the majority of people
in the U.S drink, marijuana users will most likely drink as well. If 26% people in colorado consume
marijuana, and if 56% drink, than the likelihood of the 26% of marijuana users drinking are more than
99% . I think that the data I found with my initial question makes sense. If the majority of people in each
state drink and lately more people consume marijuana, it only seems logical that marijuana users would
drink. I am completely confident in the results I found.
A general discussion of how this problem frames your work in math looking forward, both
towards next semester and beyond. This is a good place for self reflection - what are you talented
at and how will you maximize those gifts? What is a challenge and how will you account for that:
With doing this correlation project, I will be able to apply this knowledge to a project that I will be doing
next semester in finding the amount of affordable housing in 2008 compared to now. This project will
help me in the future to use statistical evidence to support my claims. If I were to do this project
differently, I would have tried to find the correlation to see how many marijuana users use harder drugs
such as heroin or cocaine and give more evidence to show if marijuana is a gateway drug. Overall I
enjoyed this project very much. I was able to choose a topic of my interests and use statistical evidence
to see what I would find out.

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