STAT220: Basic Statistics: Winter Quarter 2006

First Day (Jan 3): Basic numerical exercises.

In your first quiz section on Jan 3, your TAs will discuss the following exercises with you. Note that these are not the sort of questions you will meet in the rest of the course. Statistics problems are word problems, and interpreting the words of the question, and finding words to express the answer are the most important parts of questions.

However, these exercises will help you to brush up your numeracy skills. You will find the class much easier if you can do this.

If you find this web page, please print it and bring it to class.
Also, please bring your calculator.
If you think it is all trivial, still come to class: explaining things to others is the best way to learn. You and others will both benefit.
If you think it is all too hard, do not give up. It is not necessary that all these exercises get completed: I just wanted to be sure there is enough. Your TA will go at the pace the class needs.

1 a) 60 is what percent of 90 ?
b) 90 is what percent of 60 ?
c) 90% of 90 is what ?
d) 110% of 90 is what?
e) 90% of what is 90 ?
f) 66.7% of what is 60?

2 True or false;
a) Sqrt(17)/17 = 17/sqrt(17)
b) 17/289 = 1/17
c) sqrt(1/2) is smaller that (1/2)
d) sqrt(43) is smaller than sqrt(46)
e) sqrt(100,000) is more than 1,000
f) 25% is 1 in 25
g) 20% is 1 in 5
h) 20% is 0.2
i) 1 in 25 is more than 1 in 20

3) a) Find the average of 1, 6, 3, 4 and 6
b) Find the average of 1, -6, 3, -4 and 6.
c) Find the average of 1, 36, 9, 16, and 36.

4) Solve the following equations for x and y
a) x+9 = 3x + 1
b) x2 - 7 = 42
c) x+y = 9 and x-y = 1

5) y = 2x + 7 is a straight line graph plotting y against x.
The following points are above, on, or below the line:
(1,8), (3,11), (2.5, 12), (0,6), (-1, 5).