Statistical analysis

Statistics is the formal science of making effective use of numerical data relating to groups of individuals or experiments. It deals with all aspects of this, including not only the collection, analysis and interpretation of such data, but also the planning of the collection of data, in terms of the design of surveys and experiments.

Definition of Statistics

Statistics like many other sciences is a developing discipline. It is not nothing static. It has gradually developed during last few centuries. In different times, it has been defined in different manners. Some definitions of the past look very strange today but those definitions had their place in their own time. Defining a subject has always been difficult task. A good definition of today may be discarded in future. It is difficult to define statistics.
(1) The kings and rulers in the ancient times were interested in their manpower. They conducted census of population to get information about their population. They used information to calculate their strength and ability for wars. In those days statistics was defined as

“the science of kings, political and science of statecraft”
(2) A.L. Bowley defined statistics as

“statistics is the science of counting”
This definition places the entries stress on counting only. A common man also thinks as if statistics is nothing but counting. This used to be the situation but very long time ago. Statistics today is not mere counting of people, counting of animals, counting of trees and counting of fighting force. It has now grown to a rich methods of data analysis and interpretation.
“statistics are the numerical statement of facts capable of analysis and interpretation and the science of statistics is the study of the principles and the methods applied in collecting, presenting, analysis and interpreting the numerical data in any field of inquiry.”