Understanding Data Patterns

Data analysis starts with looking for patterns, trends, and outliers in data sets. This involves creating visual representations like histograms, boxplots, and scatterplots, which help us make sense of numbers.

Measures of Center and Spread

Two key concepts are center (mean, median, mode) and spread (range, interquartile range, standard deviation). These help summarize what is typical and how much the data varies.

• Mean: The average value.
• Median: The middle value when data is sorted.
• Range: Difference between the highest and lowest values.
• Standard Deviation: A measure of how spread out the data is.

Visualizing Data

Graphs are powerful! Histograms show the frequency of data in bins, boxplots display quartiles and outliers, and scatterplots show relationships between two variables.

Real-World Impact

Spotting trends in data helps businesses set prices, scientists spot climate changes, and doctors track patient health!