Introduction to Statistics

STA201: Statistics for Agricultural & Biological Sciences

Prof G. N. AMAHIA1 Dr A. T. ADENIRAN2

1 Departmentof Statistics, University of Ibadan

(UI)
2 Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science,

University of Ibadan (UI)

1st November, 2024

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Contents

1 Why Study Statistics

2 What Is Meant by Statistics ?

3 Classification of Statistics

4 Scope of Statistics

5 Sources of Agricultural, Biological & Medical Data

6 Problems of Collecting Quality Agricultural, Biological & Medical Data

7 Definition of Some Basic Concepts

8 References

9 Comments, Contribution & Questions

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Why Study Statistics
If you look through your university catalog, you will find that statistics is required
for many faculty programs. Why is this so ?

What are the differences in the statistics courses taught in Engineering Faculty,
College of Medicine, Agricultural and Biological Departments in the faculty of
Science, and the college of Business Administration ?

The biggest difference is the example used, the level of mathematics

required.

All are interested in what is a typical value and how much variation there is in
the data. So why is statistics required in so many majors ?
(1) The first reason is that numerical information is everywhere.

(2) A second reason for taking a statistics course is that statistical

techniques are used to make decisions that affect our daily lives.
That is, they affect our personal welfare.

(3) A third reason for taking a statistics course is that the knowledge of
statistical methods will help you understand how decisions are
made and give you a better understanding of how they affect you.
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What Is Meant by Statistics ?

How do we define the word statistics ? We encounter it frequently in our everyday

language. It really has two meanings. In the more common usage,

Definition (Statistics)
Statistics refers to collection of large masses of data and the presentation of such data
in tables and/or graphical form for capturing reader attention and to portray a large
amount of information.

However, a subject of statistics has a much broader meaning than just collecting and
publishing of numerical information. To a professional,

Definition (Statistics)
Statistics : The science of collecting, organizing, summarizing, presenting, analyzing,
interpreting, and utilizing numerical data to assist in making more effective decisions.

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Classification of Statistics
The study of statistics is usually divided into two categories :
descriptive and
inferential statistics.

The methods for describing entire population or data through tables and frequencies,
chart (bar, pie, Z, Ghant) ; graph (line, histogram, pictograph) ; curve (Polygon curve,
Cumulative frequency curve, Lorenz curve) are referred to as descriptive statistics
while those methods concerned with the analysis of a subset of data leading to
predictions or conclusion about the entire set of data is called Inferential statistics.

Definition (Descriptive Statistics)

Methods of organizing, summarizing, and presenting data in an informative way.

Definition (Inferential Statistics)

The methods used to determine something about a population on the basis of a
random sample taken from that population.

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Scope of Statistics Contd.
Statistics with Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Statistics applied to biological and medical problems is called biostatistics or simply

biometry, which is the study of biological measurements using statistical methods or
techniques.
1 Part of the objectives of many medical investigations is to compare two or more
treatments/drugs and to select the one that is most effective in dealing with
some disease or disorder.
2 Statistics facilitates the design of medical and pharmaceutical investigations, the
assessment of the reliability and validity of measurements and general points
about significance tests including power and sample size determination.
3 Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is one of the statistical tools developed by
Professor R.A. Fisher, plays a prominent role in agriculture experiments.
4 The agronomist conducts an endless number of experiments to determine
differences among yields of various crop varieties, effect of various fertilizers,
and the best method of cultivation.
5 Chemometrics : is a science relating measurements made on a chemical
system or process to the state of the system via application of mathematical or
statistical methods.

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Sources of Agricultural, Biological & Medical Data
Statistical analysis begins with the collection of data. The credibility, quality and
validity ( which can be clarified by ”source of data”) is probably the single most
important aspect of investigation. hence, sources of agricultural, biological and
medical data are :
(i) Ministry of health and teaching hospitals–morbidity statistics, death and birth
rate, incident of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

(ii) Federal Office of Statistics– demographic survey data (number of doctors in a

population), rural economic survey, acre of land employ for various agricultural
and biological reasons (cocoa plantation).

(iii) International organization (such as IART, IITA, FAO, UNICEF, WHO etc.)

(iv) Monthly return from both state and federal ministry of agriculture–data on
agricultural returns.

(v) Institute of Forestry Research such as FRIN, CRIN, NIHORT.

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Problems of Collecting Quality Agricultural,
Biological & Medical Data
(i) Lack of proper coordination of both state and federal government.

(ii) Statistical data in Nigeria has been strictly limited to survey conducted by FOS.

(iii) Insufficient registration facilities (some diseases may not be found in the
available register).

(iv) Causes of illness are not often recorded.

(v) The general practitioner record which is a source of medical data are not kept up
to date.

(vi) Lack of legal backing to enforce registration of vital events.

(vii) Variation in climatic conditions (rainfall, temperature, relative humidity) affect the
yield of crops under investigation.

(viii) Diseases and pests make the result of experiment inadequate for analysis
purposes.

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Definition of Some Basic Concepts
Biometrics : Biometrics or biostatistics are disciplines of biological sciences
concerned with the application of mathematic-statistical theory, principles and
practices to the observation, measurement and analysis of biological data and
phenomena.
Bioassay : Bioassay or biological assay is a biological testing procedure for
estimating the concentration or potency of any stimulus (pharmaceutically active
substance) in a formulated product or bulk material by measurement of the
biological response that it produces on living matters.
Stimulus : This is a change in the environment of sufficient strength to initiate an
impulse. It is an agent which causes a reaction or change in an organism or in
any of it’s part. The stimulus ”in most cases a drug” is applied to an experiment
unit (animal, man or living material) at a given dose results in a change in some
measured characteristics referred to as response.
Efficacy :This is the effect to which a drug is able to induce maximal effects.
Median Effectiveness Dose (ED50 ) : This is the dose at which the observed
response of the recipient is 50 percent of the maximum response. This dose
produces a response in half of the population.
Lethal Defective Dose (LD50 ) or Median Lethal Dose : This is the dose at
which 50 percent of the maximum number of deaths is obtained. It is that dose
that will kill 50% of the animal while other 50% will be survived.
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References

Adebowale, S. A. (2006). Statistics for Engineers, Managers and Scientists, Alfredo Graphics Limited, second edition,
ISBN-978-06043-2-4.
Adeniran, A. T., Ojo, J. F., Faweya, O. and Balogun K. O. (2020). Statistical Measures of Location : Mathematical Formula
Versus Geometric Approach, Academic Journal of Applied Mathematical Sciences, 6(7), 145-152, DOI:
[Link]/10.32861/ajams.67.145.152, Online ISSN : 2415-2188, Print ISSN : 2415-5225.

Afonja, B., Olubusoye, O. E., Osai, E. and Arinola, J. (2014). Introductory Statistics : A Learner’s Motivated Approach,
Evans Brothers Nigeria Publishers Limited, Revised edition, ISBN 978-978-8439-59-2.

Johnson, R. A. and Bhattacharyya, G. K. (2010). Statistics : Principles and Methods, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 6th edition,
ISBN 978-0-470-40927-5.
Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research Methodology : Methods and Techniques, New Age International(P) Limited Publishers,
second revised edition, ISBN (13) : 978-81-224-2488-1.

McClave, J. T. and Sincich, T. (2006). Statistics, Pearson Prentice Hall (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458), 10th
edition, ISBN 0-13-149755-3.

Weiss, N. A. (2012). Introductory Statistics, Addison Wesley, 9th edition, ISBN 978-0-321-69122-4.

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Comments, Contribution & Questions

Appreciation
Thank you

For

Listening

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