Statistics: A First Course - Softcover

Freund, John; Perles, Benjamin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0130466530 ISBN 13: 9780130466532

Publisher: Pearson, 2003

Synopsis

This book offers a straightforward, “nuts and bolts” , introduction to statistics. The explanations are clear and simple and minimize calculations where possible. A diverse range of applications and examples are presented to make the materials appealing to a wide range of learners. The Eighth Edition features new problems, more real data based examples and exercises, and fuller integration of technology. For individuals beginning a study of statistics.

About this title

From the Publisher

The objective of Statistics: A First Course, Sixth Edition, is to lay a foundation in statistics early in a student's academic career. With the Sixth Edition, Freund and Simon have enhanced the level of mathematical precision of previous editions without complicating the overall presentation of the text.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

This book is intended primarily for use in a first course in statistics. There is a systematic academic approach in Statistics: A First Course, 8th edition. Its emphasis is on instruction in meaningful, well-established statistical techniques. The future would-be medical doctor, business executive, scientist, teacher, or other professional specialist must comprehend and be skillful in the application of basic statistical tools and methodology. The student's knowledge of statistics is greatly enhanced by repeated exposure to statistical exercises. The book contains a wide selection of nearly 1,000 exercises, presented throughout the text. The book also offers a large number of detailed illustrations and examples, in each chapter, designed to provide guidance to readers.

Important formulas, definitions, and rules are highlighted within colored boxes. The frequently used tables for normal and t distributions are repeated on the inside back cover, and the inside front cover contains an indexed glossary of statistical symbols.

As in previous editions, controversy has not been avoided. The reader is exposed to the weaknesses of statistical techniques, as well as their strengths. It is hoped that this honest approach will provide a stimulus as well as a challenge.

For instructors who have used previous editions of this textbook, it should be noted that the problem sets have been extensively revised. Many additional real data-based problems have been added. Internal referencing within the problem sets has been minimized. Where necessary, pertinent data has been repeated to free students from the unproductive "busy work" of flipping back to previous problems.

USE OF TECHNOLOGY

The book makes extensive use of technology such as the computer, graphing calculator, and MINITAB, but their importance should not be overstated. The entire text is built around the authors' goal of presenting statistics at a level that is appropriate and interesting for beginning students. In spite of their obvious value, computers and graphing calculators can safely be eliminated by readers of this textbook without loss of continuity.

This edition uses, but does not require, MINITAB. MINITAB printouts, showing both output and session commands, are set off in boxes and are referenced in the examples. MINITAB users will be pleased by the new opportunity for students to purchase this textbook packaged with a CD-ROM containing the data files for this book.

Although it is not required, this edition also uses the graphing calculator and acquaints the reader with its numerous benefits. Using Technology: The Graphing Calculator boxes appear throughout the book. These boxes provide keystrokelevel instruction for using the TI-83 to find solutions to selected examples in the book.

Appendix A, TI-83 Tips, written by Dorothy Wakefield of the University of Connecticut and Kathleen McLaughlin of Manchester Community College, provides additional help in using the graphing calculator.

Many problems are designed to be solved with the aid of a computer or a graphing calculator and are identified with a technology icon.

OTHER FEATURES

Review sections are presented at two- or three-chapter intervals throughout the book. Five review sections reinforce connections outside the context of a particular section or chapter. Identified with a pale blue screen, they include

• A list of Achievements that students should have mastered after studying the group of chapters;
• A Checklist of Key Terms annotated with specific page references;
• A cumulative section of Review Exercises that tests concepts from the immediately preceding chapters.

Representative problems within each exercise set are highlighted with a check to identify them as Practice Exercises. Fully worked out solutions to these exercises are presented at the end of each chapter in the Solutions to Practice Exercises section.

SUPPLEMENTS FOR THE INSTRUCTOR

Instructor's Solutions Manual (by Benjamin M. Perles and John E. Freund) (ISBN: 0-13-046654-9) Solutions to all of the exercises are given in this manual. Careful attention has been paid to ensure that all methods of solution and notation are consistent with those used in the core text.

Test Item File (by Singh Kelly, University of West Florida) (ISBN: 0-13-046656-5) Thoroughly revised, the Test includes Multiple Choice, Fill-in, and True/False questions that correlate to problems presented in the text.

SUPPLEMENTS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS

Student's Solutions Manual (by Benjamin M. Perles and John E. Freund) (ISBN: 0-13-046655-7) Fully worked out solutions to all of the odd-numbered exercises are provided in this manual. Careful attention has been paid to ensure that all methods of solution and notation are consistent with those used in the core text.

A MINITAB Guide to Statistics, 2nd ed. (by Ruth Meyer and David Krueger) (ISBN: 0-13-014156-9) This manual assumes no prior knowledge of MINITAB. Organized to correspond to the table of contents of most statistics texts, this manual provides step-by-step instruction for using MINITAB in statistical analysis.

TI-83 Graphing Calculator Manual for Statistics (by Stephen Kelly) (ISBN: 0-13-020911-2) This brief, spiral bound manual provides simple keystroke instructions for using the TI-83 graphing calculator in statistics. Class tested for many years, this manual is the perfect answer for frustrated students and professors.

Student Versions of SPSS and SYSTAT. Student versions of SPSS, the award-winning and market-leading commercial data analysis package, and SYSTAT are available for student purchase. Details on all current products, including integrated packages, are available from the publisher or via the SPSS Web site at http://www.spss.com.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0130466530
• ISBN 13: 9780130466532
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 560