Unit 1 Vocabulary
absolute value
the distance a number is from zero on a number line; it is always a positive value
Analyze Data (phase)
the phase of the Data Cycle that involves examining data and their graphical representations to identify patterns, trends, and insights
attributes
a characteristic about an observation; in data science, we call this a variable
average
the value that every observation would have if the total were distributed, or divided, equally; also known as the mean
bar graph
a type of visualization that places cases into different categories
bimodal
a graph which has two separate peaks/ modes
binning
the process of combining several possible values into one interval so we can see overall patterns in the data
bins
an interval of values for grouping data
bin width
the length of each interval that defines a bin
case
an individual person, thing, or event we are observing and collecting data about
case card
a view within CODAP that shows all the data values for an individual observation in our data
case table
a view within CODAP that shows all observations and their data values as a table
categorical variable
data that can be expressed in distinct, non-numerical categories/ groupings; instead of numbers, we see labels or categories
center
useful for numerical variables, the center of the distribution often corresponds to our notion of ‘fair share’
CODAP
Common Online Data Analysis Platform
Consider Data (phase)
the phase of the Data Cycle where data scientists figure out what data is already available, what data is still needed, and what steps should be followed to acquire such data
data
information gathered through observation or responses
Data Cycle
a process we follow during a statistical investigation, also referred to as The Data Cycle, which consists of four phases - Pose Questions, Consider Data, Analyze Data, Interpret Data
data science
the detective work of turning raw information into answers; it blends math, coding, and everyday problem-solving to ask big questions, collect evidence, spot patterns, and tell a story with the findings
data table
a structured arrangement of data in rows and columns
datum
the singular form of "data"
deviation
the distance, or difference, between an individual data point and a reference value/ anchor point (usually the mean)
distribution
a way to describe how a numerical variable's data points are spread out, organized, or arranged across the x-values
dot plot
a visualization that allows us to see individual data values, typically numerical ones
extreme value
a value that lies outside the typical range of values of the other data points
fair share
the value that every observation would have if the total were distributed, or divided, equally
histogram
a visualization that allows us to group numerical values into bins, or intervals
interval
a period covering two x-axis values
IQR (interquartile range)
a numerical difference between two quartile values, specifically Q3 and Q1
left-bound rule
when multiple data points can appear in more than one bin, observations would go in the bin on the left-hand side
MAD (mean absolute value)
the measure of spread that represents the typical deviation from the mean
maximum
the highest numerical value
mean
the value that every observation would have if the total were distributed, or divided, equally; also known as the average
median
the middle value when the observations are sorted from lowest to highest
minimum
the lowest numerical value
missing value
a place where information should be, but isn't
numerical variable
data that can be expressed as numbers that come from a measurement or count
observations
data that have been gathered and recorded
pictogram
a visual representation of different categories
Pose Questions (phase)
the phase of the Data Cycle that generally starts an investigation by creating a statistical question; statistical questions address variability and can be answered with data
primary data
first hand, original information that a researcher collects directly
Q1
the median value of the lower half of an ordered set of numerical points; also referred to as Quartile 1
Q3
the median value of the upper half of an ordered set of numerical points; also referred to as Quartile 3
quartile(s)
values that divide an ordered set of numerical points into four equal parts
range
the numerical difference between a minimum and maximum value
representations
the form in which data are summarized, like lists, written notes, or photos
secondary data
data that comes from someone other than ourselves
shape
a common profile that numerical data can take visually
skewed left
the shape when a lot of data is on the right side of the graph, and much less data on the left; this shape has a "tail" that tapers as you move to the left
skewed right
the shape when a lot of data is on the left side of the graph, and much less data on the right; this shape has a "tail" that tapers as you move to the right
spread
how the data values are scattered from the mean; it measures how far data points are from each other and from the center, which is another way of saying it measures variability
statistical questions
a question that leads to many different answers when you ask an entire group of people or measure a group of things; a key feature is that the answer varies (or changes) for each person or item in the group
survey questions
questions that are used to collect information about people who respond to them
symmetric
a type of distribution where you can draw a line down the middle and it looks roughly the same on both sides; the shape is often called bell-shaped
uniform
a type of distribution where there are no clear peaks and the data is spread out evenly across x-values; the shape forms a rectangle or box-like shape
unimodal
a graph which has a single peak
variable
a characteristic that can change or vary for each individual or object