The Chi-Square Distribution

  “In May 2017, The Economist published an article titled, “The World’s Most Valuable Resource Is No Longer Oil, But Data.” Whether or not data is, in fact, the world’s most valuable resource, there is no doubt that data plays an ever-increasing, important role in society. As a result, no matter your career path or walk of life, having an understanding of the basic concepts of statistics, data, and sampling is not only beneficial but also in many cases, a necessity. In addition to understanding the basics of statistics, being well-versed in the ethics of statistics is vital to the carrying out of statistical studies and to the reporting of results in order to ensure the validity of the results.” Think back on what you have learned about statistics over the course. Additionally, refer to Part 2 of the Real Estate Evaluation Project, where you shared your understanding of the tension between the pressure to cherry-pick data to support an existing desired outcome and employing proper statistical techniques to determine an outcome that is in line with ethical statistical practices and a Christian worldview. As a consumer of statistical information, what are some questions that you might ask to determine the validity of the data being presented? When statistical data is misused or unethically represented, what challenges does this present to society as a whole?