Data Analytics & Visualization All-in-One For Dummies
by Jack A. Hyman, Luca Massaron, Paul McFedries, John Paul Mueller, Lillian Pierson, Jonathan Reichental, Joseph Schmuller, Alan R. Simon, Allen G. Taylor
Chapter 2
R: What It Does and How It Does It
IN THIS CHAPTER
Introducing statistics
Getting R and RStudio on your computer
Starting a session with R
Working with R functions
Working with R structures
Before we go any further, it probably makes sense to learn a little about R and its history. R is a versatile programming language created in the 1990s for statistical computing and graphics by Ross Ihaka and Robert Gentleman, professors at the University of Auckland. R shines in data analysis, offering a vast range of statistical techniques and extensive graphical capabilities for insightful data visualization. The secret sauce of R is in its open-source packages, a collection of functions, data, and compiled code in a structured format that is contributed by users worldwide. What sets R apart is its active community and extensibility. Users not only use R for analysis but also contribute by creating new packages, enhancing the language's capabilities.
Before getting into the details ...
Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Read now
Unlock full access