Division of Statistics. Statistics is the science of making decisions in the face of uncertainty.

The study
of statistics provides a background for understanding numerical data and the process of making
inferences from such data.

Parameters are numbers that summarize data for an entire population. Statistics are numbers that
summarize data from a sample, i.e. some subset of the entire population. Problems (1) through (6)
below each present a statistical study*. For each study, identify both the parameter and the statistic in
the study.

In statistics the term population takes on a slightly different meaning. The population in statistics
includes all members of a defined group that we are studying or collecting information on for data
driven decisions. A part of the population is called a sample

It is useful to distinguish between two broad types of variables: qualitative and quantitative (or
numeric). Each is broken down into two sub-types: qualitative data can be ordinal or nominal, and
numeric data can be discrete (often, integer) or continuous.

Constants

Constants are quantities whose values do not change during program execution. In FORTRAN they may
be of numeric or character type.

Variables

A variable is something that may change in value. A variable might be the number of words on different
pages of this booklet, the air temperature each day, or the exam marks given to a class of school
children.

A variable could be likened to a storage box whose contents may often change. The box, or variable
must be given a name to distinguish it from others. According to FORTRAN rules, the variable name
must begin with a letter and may be followed by up to five characters (letters or numbers only).

Variables in FORTRAN are of different types. You specify the type and name of each variable you intend
to use at the top of your program, after the PROGRAM statement and before any other executable lines.
Commented lines are non -executable so they can appear anywhere in the program.

If the variable declarations are omitted, the compiler will make certain assumptions, for example, that
any variables beginning with the letters I, J, K, L, M, N are INTEGER. The lack of specification often leads
to program errors and it is strongly recommended that variable types are always declared. Numerical
data may be separated into integer and real numbers.

A classification variable is a variable that enters the statistical analysis or model not through its values,
but through its levels. The process of associating values of a variable with levels is termed levelization.