Basic Statistics & Probability Introduction

Basic Statistics & Probability Introduction

What are the stats of your YouTube channel and, more importantly, what are the chances that those stats will land you a million dollars? We're going to find out in this unit on Statistics and Probability. So what are stats anyway? Stats, or statistics, is the study of numerical data that's collected, analyzed, and interpreted. For example, stats can tell us about the people that visit our YouTube channel, Instagram profile, or Facebook page. 

In statistics and probability for pre-algebra, we've got the stats on stats. We’ll cover stem and leaf plots, histograms, box and whisker plots, and scatter plots. By the time you're done here, you'll know how to set up your own statistical study and analyze the results.

We’ll also cover the basics of probability – think: cards, dice, YouTube millionaires, or the odds of having a snow day come to your rescue when you forgot to do your homework.

Basic Statistics & Probability Resources

Bar Grapher
Need to make a bar graph? Use this.

Line of Best Fit
Enter (x, y) data into this application and explore finding the line of best fit.

Box Plotter
This application shows seven different data sets as box-and-whisker plots.

Box Plot
Use this application to make your own box and whisker plot.

Canada Data Map
This site displays geographical data about the Canadian provinces in different forms, including box-and-whisker.

State Data Map
This site displays geographical data about the United States in different forms, including box-and-whisker.

Mean and Median
Enter your own data and investigate how the mean and median differ. You can also use this site to create box and whisker plots.

Circle Grapher
Create a circle graph using your own data, or explore pre-existing data sets.

Histogram Tool
Create a histogram using your own data, or explore pre-existing data sets.

Multi-Bar Graph
Working on double bar graphs? Check this out.

Plop It!
This application plots data in a bar graph and shows where the mean, median, and mode lie. It can adjust these averages as more data is added or subtracted.

Stem and Leaf Plotter
Here is an application to make a stem and leaf plot.

Party Time Demo
A quick game to look at biased vs. unbiased polling questions.

Simple Monty Hall
Use this simple interactive version of the Monty Hall problem to look at experimental probability.

Coin Toss
Here is a virtual coin toss where you can enter the number of flips.

Experimental Probability
Choose a spinner and look at different experimental probabilities.

Fire
This probability application allows you to simulate how a forest fire would spread using different levels of probability.

Adjustable Spinner
Create the spinner perfect for your probability needs.

Random Drawing Tool
Working on theoretical vs. experimental probability? Use this application to explore the differences between the two.

Marbles
This choosing marbles application is a little advanced for pre-algebra but nicely demonstrate replacement vs. no replacement as well as order vs. no order.

Racing Game with One Die
Here is a simple dice simulator game that allows you to enter which numbers “win”.