This pilot collection of resources is designed to introduce key statistical ideas and help students to deepen their understanding.
Introduction
Image
![Getting to grips with Statistics header Getting to grips with Statistics header](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/thumbnails/content-id-13765-StatsRealLife.jpg?itok=ItWbfpA0)
These resources are designed to introduce key statistical ideas needed for advanced study. They also give opportunities to consolidate your understanding by applying it to new and engaging contexts. Try the activities to delve into the concepts of hypothesis testing, sampling, and distributions, and explore some of the fascinating and complex issues surrounding the interpretation and representation of data. Scroll down to find articles which explain key ideas and go more deeply into the concepts.
To complement each resource, there are Teachers' Resources with suggestions for how the tasks can be used in the classroom.
Try
These resources investigate statistics concepts usually met by students aged 14-16
![Statistical shorts](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-7721-icon.png?itok=cx7E2WA8)
problem
Statistical shorts
Can you decide whether these short statistical statements are always, sometimes or never true?
![A population survey](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13889-icon.png?itok=sXUxV5M5)
problem
A population survey
A geographical survey: answer the tiny questionnaire and then analyse all the collected responses...
![Which spinners?](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-6123-icon.jpg?itok=orBOhseL)
![Thousands of people](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13921-icon.jpg?itok=tvVTmqEK)
![Counting Fish](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-6060-icon.png?itok=9PdN5DPg)
problem
Counting Fish
I need a figure for the fish population in a lake. How does it help to catch and mark 40 fish?
![Data matching](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-5933-icon.jpg?itok=dmxIDg0F)
![Where are you flying?](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13861-icon.png?itok=bBIDdtnv)
problem
Where are you flying?
Where do people fly to from London? What is good and bad about these representations?
![One variable, two variable, three variable, more](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13864-icon.png?itok=12xKDx5R)
problem
One variable, two variable, three variable, more
Displaying one-variable and two-variable data can be straightforward; what about three or more?
![Sleep: the silent killer](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13896-icon.png?itok=HnpEvtpm)
problem
Sleep: the silent killer
"Too much sleep is deadly" proclaimed the newspaper headline. Is this true?
![Do you brush your teeth every day?](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13897-icon.png?itok=0kwSNxd4)
problem
Do you brush your teeth every day?
How can we find out answers to questions like this if people often lie?
Try more
These resources explore statistics concepts usually met by students aged 16-18
![Stats statements](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-6149-icon.png?itok=MdC9SboF)
problem
Stats statements
Are these statistical statements sometimes, always or never true?
Or it is impossible to say?
![Hypothetical shorts](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13815-icon.png?itok=BWJbR4lh)
problem
Hypothetical shorts
Some short statements about hypothesis testing: are they true, false, or somewhere in between?
![Robin's hypothesis testing](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13721-icon.png?itok=HJx84wPl)
problem
Robin's hypothesis testing
How many trials should we do in order to accept or reject our null hypothesis?
![Powerful hypothesis testing](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13762-icon.png?itok=d4ho0lxh)
problem
Powerful hypothesis testing
How effective are hypothesis tests at showing that our null hypothesis is wrong?
![Can you find ... random variable edition](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13847-icon.png?itok=m1J-666l)
problem
Can you find ... random variable edition
Can you create random variables satisfying certain conditions?
![Binomial or not?](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13892-icon.png?itok=Vu00kO2t)
![Binomial conditions](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13850-icon.png?itok=k65-20aP)
problem
Binomial conditions
When is an experiment described by the binomial distribution? Why do we need both the condition about independence and the one about constant probability?
![A well-stirred sample](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13895-icon.png?itok=L_YanUWo)
Read
These articles provide some background on key ideas in statistics and probability.
![Understanding hypotheses](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-6178-icon.jpg?itok=v5BT3gWF)
article
Understanding hypotheses
This article explores the process of making and testing hypotheses.
![A probability conundrum](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13888-icon.png?itok=qDNin0Mn)
article
A probability conundrum
What do we mean by probability? This simple problem may challenge your ideas...
![The surveyor who came to tea](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13883-icon.png?itok=pGLdCHJc)
article
The surveyor who came to tea
This article discusses how a survey company carries out its surveys and some of the issues involved.
Read more
These articles invite you to explore statistical ideas in more depth.
![What is a random variable, really?](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13852-icon.png?itok=K0yfc4kO)
article
What is a random variable, really?
This article offers an advanced perspective on random variables for the interested reader.
![What is a hypothesis test?](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13722-icon.png?itok=MJ9WQZwL)
article
What is a hypothesis test?
This article explores the meaning of hypothesis tests, and also some of the major difficulties in interpreting them
![\nostyle Challenging Data Tasks: The Making of "Where Are You Flying?"](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/thumbnails/content-id-13862-icon.png?itok=bGKHPo-n)
article
\nostyle Challenging Data Tasks: The Making of "Where Are You Flying?"
How was the data for this problem compiled? A guided tour through the process.
The development of these resources was made possible by donations co-ordinated by PSI from Amgen, AstraZeneca, GSK, PHASTAR and Roche. We would like to thank all contributors for their generous support.