Statistics: A First Course (8th Edition)

This book is intended primarily for use in a first course in statistics. There is a systematic academic approach inStatistics: A First Course,8th edition. Its emphasis is on instruction in meaningful, well-established statistical techniques. The future would-be medical doctor, business executive, scientist, teacher, or other professional specialist must comprehend and be skillful in the application of basic statistical tools and methodology. The student's knowledge of statistics is greatly enhanced by repeated exposure to statistical exercises. The book contains a wide selection of nearly 1,000 exercises, presented throughout the text. The book also offers a large number of detailed illustrations and examples, in each chapter, designed to provide guidance to readers. Important formulas, definitions, and rules are highlighted within colored boxes. The frequently used tables for normal andtdistributions are repeated on the inside back cover, and the inside front cover contains an indexed glossary of statistical symbols. As in previous editions, controversy has not been avoided. The reader is exposed to the weaknesses of statistical techniques, as well as their strengths. It is hoped that this honest approach will provide a stimulus as well as a challenge. For instructors who have used previous editions of this textbook, it should be noted that the problem sets have been extensively revised. Many additional real data-based problems have been added. Internal referencing within the problem sets has been minimized. Where necessary, pertinent data has been repeated to free students from the unproductive "busy work" of flipping back to previous problems. USE OF TECHNOLOGY The book makes extensive use of technology such as the computer, graphing calculator, and MINITAB, but their importance should not be overstated. The entire text is built around the authors' goal of presenting statistics at a level that is appropriate and interesting for beginning students.In spite of their obvious value, computers and graphing calculators can safely be eliminated by readers of this textbook without loss of continuity. This edition uses, but does not require, MINITAB. MINITAB printouts, showing both output and session commands, are set off in boxes and are referenced in the examples. MINITAB users will be pleased by the new opportunity for students to purchase this textbook packaged with a CD-ROM containing the data files for this book. Although it is not required, this edition also uses the graphing calculator and acquaints the reader with its numerous benefits.Using Technology: The Graphing Calculatorboxes appear throughout the book. These boxes provide keystrokelevel instruction for using the TI-83 to find solutions to selected examples in the book. Appendix A,TI-83Tips, written by Dorothy Wakefield of the University of Connecticut and Kathleen McLaughlin of Manchester Community College, provides additional help in using the graphing calculator. Many problems are designed to be solved with the aid of a computer or a graphing calculator and are identified with a technology icon. OTHER FEATURES Reviewsections are presented at two- or three-chapter intervals throughout the book. Five review sections reinforce connections outside the context of a particular section or chapter. Identified with a pale blue screen, they include A list ofAchievementsthat students should have mastered after studying the group of chapters; AChecklist of Key Termsannotated with specific page references; A cumulative section ofReview Exercisesthat tests concepts from the immediately preceding chapters. Representative problems within each exercise set are highlighted with a check to identify them asPractice Exercises.Fully worked out solutions to these exercises are presented at the end of each chapterBenjamin M. Perles is the author of 'Statistics: A First Course (8th Edition)', published 2003 under ISBN 9780130466532 and ISBN 0130466530.