STAT 344 Probability and

Statistics for Engineers and

Scientists I
Section 01: MW 1:30 PM 2:45 PM

Professor: Dr. Kenneth Strazzeri

Email: kstrazze@gmu.edu

Introduction
Kenneth

Strazzeri

Mathematics Education (Ph.D, 2013,

UVA).
Statistics (MS, 2004, UVA)
Finance (BS, 2001, TCNJ)

Information
My

Career Goals: Teaching

statistics.
Improve the way statistics is taught
to all undergraduate students.
Enhance students understanding
and reasoning about statistics.

Hobbies:

playing drums, exercise,

and slow pitch softball.

What is (or are) Statistics?

Statistics

as a field of study is the

science of learning from data.

The

term Statistics can also be

used to describe numerical facts
(common perception)

First,

we will consider some

definitions of statistics

Wikipedia Definition of Statistics

A

mathematical science
pertaining to the collection,
analysis, interpretation or
explanation, and presentation of
data. Also used for making
informed decisions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics

My First Undergrad Stat

Professor
A

body of concepts and

methods used to collect and
interpret data concerning a
particular area of
investigation and to draw
conclusions in situations
where uncertainty and
variation are present.

Our Textbook
Statistics

is a science that helps us

make decisions and draw conclusions
in the presence of variability.

Statistics

deals with the collection,

presentation, analysis, and use of
data to make decisions, solve
problems.

Statistics

is the science of data.

Similarities of the
Definitions

Conclusions about
Statistics
Statistics

is deals with:

Reasoning with data.

Collecting, organizing, summarizing, and
analyzing information from data to draw
conclusions, answer questions, or gain
understanding.
Describing and understanding variability.

Conclusions about
Statistics
Statistics

is a science that involves

the extraction of information from
data obtained from a study or a
sample. It involves:
Designing the study or sampling
procedure
Collecting and analyzing the data
Making inferences about the population
based upon information in a sample.

Types of Statistical Studies

Retrospective

studies: Analysis of data

collected in the past (historical data).

Observational

studies: Current passive

observation of subjects without
investigators intervention.

Designed

Experiments: Current
observation of subjects with
investigator control of observational
conditions.

Two Branches of Statistics

Descriptive

Statistics consists
of methods of collecting,
organizing, summarizing, and
presenting data in an informative
way.

Examples

Two Branches of Statistics

Inferential

Statistics a body of
methods used to draw
conclusions or inferences about
characteristics of populations
based on sample data.

An

understanding of probability
will be necessary (Chapters 2 4)

Organization of Statistics

Note
All

the definitions of statistics

mention data.

What

are data?

Data
Data

are numerical facts are

numbers with a context.
Examples

Note,

data are mostly numerical, but

not always.
Examples

We

will be concerned with how data

are collected and organized.

Syllabus, Course Policies, &

Schedule
See

Blackboard
http://mymason.gmu.edu

Terms relating to data

Individuals

(subjects or experimental units)

objects described by a set of data (People or
other things)

Variable

any characteristic of an individual

(can take different values for different
individuals)

Values

of a variable are the possible

observations of the variable

Data

are the observed values of the variable

Music Example
Most

of you have an iPod or

iTunes (or some other music
program).

Assume

that the songs listed in

your iTunes program are the
individuals. Provide some
variables that describe these
individuals

Types of Variables
Categorical

places an individual into

one of several groups. Also, a
variable that can be identified simply
by noting its presence.
Nominal data do not have any natural
order.

Ordinal data do have a natural order

Types of Variables
Quantitative

takes numerical
values for which arithmetic
operations make sense (can be
ordered and ranked).

Also called measurement data.

Types of Quantitative Data

Discrete

assumes values that

can be counted
Examples

Continuous

can assume all

values between any two specific
values
Examples

Data Distribution
The

distribution of a variable tells

us what values it takes and how
often it take these values.

How

numerical data fall or lie

along the x-axis.

Can

be seen with a table or

graph.

Populations and Samples

Population

consists of all subjects or items

of interest. It is the group being studied.

Sample

a group selected from the

population (a subset of the population). It
provides information used to infer
information about populations.

Samples

are often used because getting

access to the entire population is
impractical.

Purpose of Sampling
As

we proceed, the idea is that we

want to make inferences about
populations from the collection and
analysis of sample data.

The

design of the sampling process

becomes important.

good sampling design permits valid

inferences to be made.

Computer Tools Used in the

Course
Minitab

used for data

manipulation, calculations,
graphics presentation for
homework.
Menu system
Graphics
Complex computations and
simulation

Statistics and Engineering

Why

take a statistics course as

an engineering major?

How

are these two fields

connected?

To

start, both fields can be

described under the realm of
science.

Science
Science:

the study of the natural

world
(Latin: scientia = knowledge)
Scientists

ask questions about

the world
What is out there?
How do things work?
What rules can be deduced to
explain the patterns we see?

Engineering
Engineering

is the process of
designing the human-made
world.
(engineer: from Latin ingeniare =
design and ingenium = clever
invention)

Engineers

modify the world to

satisfy peoples needs and wants.

Connection: Science and

Engineering
Scientific

knowledge informs
engineering design.

In

addition, many scientific

advances would not be possible
without technological tools
developed by engineers.

Engineering
Another

useful definition: design

under constraint.

Some

constraints

Time
Money
Available materials
Environmental regulations
Laws of nature (i.e. science)

Connection to Statistics
Variability

among any constraint is nearly

certain to exist.

Statistical

methods provide an excellent

way to visualize, understand, measure,
and analyze this variation.

Variability

means that successive

observations of a system or phenomenon
do not produce exactly the same result.

Engineering Method (from

text)

Steps 2 4 may need several

iterations to obtain final solution.

Another connection
Consequently,

engineers must

know how to

efficiently plan experiments

collect data
analyze and interpret data
understand how the observed data
are related to the model proposed
for the problem under study.

Example: Variability
Glass

Milk Containers, is
there exactly a gallon (128
oz.) of milk in there?

These

bottles are filled with

an automatic machine.
The capacity is determined
by the external profile of
the bottle and the glass
wall thickness.

Variability
The

bottles are made on multihead automatic machines by

dropping gobs of molten glass
into metal molds, making them
hallow, and then inflating them
with compressed air until they fill
the mold.

Variability
The

external profile can be

affected by different settings at
each work station.

Mold differences
Fluctuations in air pressure
Sagging after release from mold
Malfunctioning of automatic timing
gear.

Variability
Wall

thickness is affected by

Gob feeder settings

Viscosity of the glass
Temperature
The action of the shears which cut
successive gobs from the continuous
flow of the feeder.

Variability
Variability

in any of these process

factors may contribute to
variability in the capacity of the
bottles in continuous production.

Understanding

variability will
make your lives easier.