A Panorama of Statistics

Preface

Most people would cheerfully agree that statistics is a useful subject – but how many would recognise that it also has many facets which are engaging, and even fascinating?

We have written this book for students and their teachers, as well as for practitioners – indeed, for anyone who knows some statistics. If this describes you, we invite you to come with us on a panoramic tour of the subject. Our intent is to highlight a variety of engaging and quirky facets of statistics, and to let you discover their fascinations. Even if you are only casually acquainted with statistical ideas, there is still much in this book for you.

This is not a textbook. In a lively way, it expands understanding of topics that are outside the scope of most textbooks – topics you are unlikely to find brought together all in the one place elsewhere.

Each of the first 25 chapters is devoted to a different statistical theme. These chapters have a common structure. First, there is an Overview, offering perspectives on the theme – often from several points of view. About half of these Overviews need, as quantitative background, only high school mathematics with a basic foundation in statistics. For the rest, it may be helpful to have completed an introductory college or university course in statistics.

Following the Overview, each chapter poses five questions to pique your curiosity and stimulate you to make your own discoveries. These questions all relate to the theme of the chapter. As you seek ...