Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who used the word 'statist' in his drama Hamlet?
Who used the word 'statist' in his drama Hamlet?
What is the origin of the word 'statistics'?
What is the origin of the word 'statistics'?
What was the primary purpose of statistics in the past?
What was the primary purpose of statistics in the past?
Who first used the word 'statistik' in a German university in 1749?
Who first used the word 'statistik' in a German university in 1749?
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What did William S Gosset develop in the 20th century?
What did William S Gosset develop in the 20th century?
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What is the plural sense of the word 'statistics'?
What is the plural sense of the word 'statistics'?
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What was the primary focus of statistics during the 18th century?
What was the primary focus of statistics during the 18th century?
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Who stated that 'a knowledge of statistics is like a knowledge of foreign language of algebra'?
Who stated that 'a knowledge of statistics is like a knowledge of foreign language of algebra'?
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What is the main factor that has contributed to the modern development of statistics?
What is the main factor that has contributed to the modern development of statistics?
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What is the relationship between old statistics and modern statistics?
What is the relationship between old statistics and modern statistics?
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Study Notes
History of Statistics
- The word "statistics" is derived from the Latin word "status" or the Italian word "statista", meaning "political state" or "government".
- Shakespeare used the word "statist" in his drama Hamlet (1602).
- In the past, statistics was used by rulers to gather information about land, agriculture, commerce, populations, military potential, wealth, and taxation.
- Gottfried Achenwall introduced the word "statistik" in 1749 to describe the political science of different countries.
- W.Hooper used the word "statistics" in 1771 to describe the science of political arrangement of modern states.
- There is a significant gap between old statistics and modern statistics, but old statistics is still used in contemporary statistics.
Development of Statistics
- During the 18th century, English writers used the word "statistics" in their works, contributing to its gradual development.
- Significant work was done in the late 19th century to advance statistics.
- William S Gosset developed methods for decision making based on small sets of data at the beginning of the 20th century.
- In the 20th century, several statisticians developed new methods, theories, and applications of statistics.
- The availability of electronics has been a major factor in the modern development of statistics.
Meaning of Statistics
- The word "statistics" has two senses: plural and singular.
- In the plural sense, it refers to a set of figures or data.
- In the singular sense, statistics refers to the whole body of tools used to collect, organize, interpret, and draw conclusions from data.
- Both aspects of statistics are important for quantitative data to serve their purpose.
- Inadequate methodology and defective data can lead to incorrect conclusions.
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Description
Learn about the origins of statistics, from its Latin roots to its early uses by rulers to gather information about their territories. Discover how the word 'statistik' was introduced and its significance in political science.
