Statistics, 3E

PART3

Inferential Statistics

Now we can take all those wonderful concepts that we have stuffed into our overloaded brains from Parts 1 and 2 and put them to work using statistically sounding words, such as confidence interval and hypothesis testing. Inferential statistics enables us to make statements about a general population using the results of a random sample from that population. For instance, using inferential statistics, the winner of a political election can be accurately predicted very early in the polling process based on the results of a relatively small random sample that is properly chosen. Pretty cool stuff!