The concept of statistics is understood as the set of data that are collected and analyzed in order to find an explanation for a predisposition towards a conjecture that has been observed over time.
To complete this definition of statistics, we will add that it is transversal, that is, it can be applied in different branches of knowledge.
What elements participate in the statistics?
The objective of statistics is to find a solution to present information that allows us to understand a certain event. For example, it is normal for statistical studies to be carried out on the population to find out a type of interest or predisposition.
So when we want to calculate or make a statistical approximation we will find a sample. On the example presented, the sample would be the population that is surveyed, it is therefore a representative set. Then, the value will be the set of results that are obtained and the data will be at the same time the values with which the sampling has been concluded.
Classification and types of statistics
When we talk about statistics we find a classification that depends on the study method used to conclude with some data. These are the two types of statistics we encounter:
- Descriptive statistics are those that seek to present the data that are collected through indicators and graphs. Therefore, we talk about the visual way in which the information is presented before analyzing it, and it will almost always be through a numerical representation.
- Inferential statistics are those that are based on the uncertainty that exists about the data and the information available. The key to understanding this classification of statistics lies in knowing how to interpret the data by extracting observations that allow us to inquire about the sample to be taken.