Everyday Probability And Statistics: Health, Elections, Gambling And War

by Michael Mark Woolfson

Probability and statistics impinge on the life of the average person in a variety of ways -- as is suggested by the title of this book. Very often, information is provided that is factually accurate but intended to present a biased view. This book presents the important results of probability and statistics without making heavy mathematical demands on the reader. It should enable an intelligent reader to properly assess statistical information and to understand that the same information can be presented in different ways.

234 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2008

About the author

Michael M. Woolfson is Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, University of York, UK.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a straightforward and accessible introduction to basic probability theory and statistics for the layman, beginning with combinatorics-based discrete probability, and ending with hypothesis testing. It presents many simple concrete examples, including several examples of the sometimes unintuitive nature of probability. It also includes exercises for the reader to work out on his own.

It was well written for the most part, though the last few sections, focused on the use of statistics as a tool to understand questions related to public policy, are disconnected from the concrete principles taught in the first part of the book. This seems like a missed opportunity on the authors part, since the main value of a text like this is that it might help the reader better understand the things they read online or in the news, and not just to equip them for solving recreational math problems. Even if these issues require statistical tools more advanced that what is covered in the book to fully understand, at the very least the author could have established a stronger connection with previously introduced ideas like variance and statistical significance, as a way of demonstrating the way that the tools taught in earlier sections can be applied practically by the layman. As it stands, this connection, while present, feels very tenuous.

In short, a fairly good introduction to probability for the layman.

[Mohammad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy it !
a lot of applied samples and everyday's problems.

[Ilya · Rating 3 out of 5]

good, clear examples illustrate some of the basic concepts in statistics. the chi square test chapters were particularly interesting.