B Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM

Subject Code Statistics

Module Code 1.0 Introduction and variables
Lesson Code 1.1 Defining Statistics and Some Applications
Time Limit 30 minutes

TARGET
By the end of this module, the student is expected to:
1. define statistics; and
2. illustrate importance of statistics in real world (through
studies applying statistics).

HOOK

Is our country winning in its fight against the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID – 19)? What
is the average COVID testing capacity of our country? How many licensed COVID – 19 testing
laboratories are there in each region? What is the mean incubation period observed for the Coronavirus?
What is the mortality risk by age? Is the number of Filipinos who lost their jobs because of the pandemic,
significant? What are the top five industries
affected by the lockdown? How much more
effective are surgical masks than cloth masks to
minimize the spread of coronavirus? Did the
quarantine and border restrictions significantly
reduce the daily reported confirmed cases of
COVID – 19? What do we mean by flattening
the curve? What percentage of the world’s
student population were affected by the closures
of educational institutions brought by this
pandemic? If you can have access to the data
that would help you answer these questions,
thank Statistics! But wait, why should you be artwork by Hilcris Gideon Eslabra
grateful to Statistics? What is Statistics?

IGNITE
Statistics became an essential part of our lives during the pandemic. Every day, we are flooded
with data related to Coronavirus disease, their meanings and possible interpretations which guided
proper authorities such as the political, health and economic leaders in making relatively sound
decisions. But mind you, Statistics is not just useful during a pandemic. In fact, we experience the use
of Statistics in our everyday lives! But before we discuss further about its importance, let’s define it
first.

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 Definition 1.1 : Statistics

Statistics is a body of knowledge which deals with the collection, organization, presentation,
analysis, and interpretation of data.

Photo Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/y5o7n6no

In Statistics, we will not just be asked to gather data. But we will also learn what appropriate
instruments or statistical tools to use to make sense of the gathered data, the different techniques to
employ, and the appropriate sources to correctly obtain data. Statistics can also teach us how to organize
and present our data through the use of appropriate tables, charts, and graphs - that is why Statistics is
termed as “the universal language of sciences”. Moreover, we will analyze the data by identifying
patterns or trends using statistical software. How can we validate if our results are correct? What
statistical tests should we use? Statistics can answer these questions. Most importantly, Statistics will
help interpret the numbers and graphics. Thus, in other references, Statistics is defined as “the science
of learning from data”. However, we should always be cautious in giving a correct interpretation.
Remember, more often than not, the findings of a research will be communicated to other people –
through newspaper, magazine, radio, television, social media, and in other platforms.

But why study Statistics? For some, they probably need to collect relevant information. But
for others, it is maybe their way to understand a phenomenon which would help them in making
sound decisions. As what Florence Nightingale said, “Statistics is the most important science in the
whole world; for upon it depends the practical application of every science and every art; the one
science, essential to all political and social administration, all education, all organization based on
experience, for it only gives results of our experience.” This means that Statistics encompasses all
other subjects. Statistics can be as simple as creating a poll in Facebook asking your classmates
whether they ate their breakfast or not or whether they have an account in Netflix or Spotify. Or it
could be as grand as conducting experiments to test if a certain leaf extract could be a cure for dengue
or not.

You might be surprised but yes, in one way or another, you have come across with Statistics.
You calculate your general weighted average, you did Statistics. You estimated the time that you have

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to commute to school so that you won’t be late, you did Statistics. You estimated the probability of
passing in an Exam, you did Statistics. However, Statistics can also mean so much more than that.

Did you know that in school year 2017 – 2018, 2.9 million Filipino learners belonged in
indigenous groups while there are 22,129 Filipino learners who have disability/special education
needs? The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also reported that majority of the out-of-school
children and youth are females. However, the PSA also reported that significantly more females were
getting advanced degrees than male (San Buenaventura, 2019). In education, Statistics can also be
used when the teacher calculates for a student’s grade or when the teacher does an item analysis to
check the degree of difficulty and reliability of the exam. Statistics is also used to determine what
teaching strategy is better than the other.

Did you know that the prices received by farmers for their palay production went up by
4.48% in 2017? The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also reported that in the same year, 25.44%
of the national employment belong in the agriculture sector and our country’s earnings from
agricultural exports has increased by 24.61% (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2018). In agriculture,
Statistics is important to see the trend and predict the population levels of plants and animals.
Statistics is also used in different branches of agricultural science such as field crop production and
horticulture.

Did you know that the actual nurse to patient ratio in our country ranges from 1:50 to 1:80?
This is in contrary with the standards set by the Department of Health where the ideal nurse to patient
ratio should just be 1:12 (House Bill 1567, 2019). In the health sector, Statistics can also be used to
validate or invalidate the effects of a certain drug. For instance, since the start of COVID – 19
pandemic, there have been different clinical trials conducted to find a cure and a vaccine for the
disease. Through statistics, health care practitioners can also identify if a disease becomes a pandemic
or not.

Did you know that the average amount spent daily by election candidates for their political
advertisements during the 2016 Presidential Elections is 54 million pesos? (Macapagal, 2016). In
politics and governance, statistics is used to conduct mock polls in schools and in different sectors so
that political candidates would know the probability that they would win. Moreover, statistics is also
essential in determining the trust and approval ratings of our president or any government official.

Did you know that there were 8.26 million international tourist arrivals in our country last
2019? According to the Department of Tourism, it surpassed the 8.2 million annual target
(Department of Tourism, February 2020). Statistics is vital in tourism industry since it can help in the
implementation and monitoring of tourism policies. The data gathered and interpreted through
statistical analysis can help a country or a locality create marketing strategies by looking at the trends
in the market to further boost the number of visitors in that specific place. These same results could
also provide opportunities for investors to make informed decisions.

Aside from these, Statistics is also used in weather forecast, stock markets, quality testing,
engineering, sports, arts, culture, religion, and in different fields! In fact, you will be needing Statistics
for your research subject next year! Statistics will help you understand the different statistical studies
in the field where you are interested to do research. What will be your sample size? How would you
gather your data? What statistical procedures do you have to employ in your research process? These
are just some of the questions which Statistics could answer. Most importantly, Statistics will help
you decide on the results of your research and make valid conclusions.

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 NAVIGATE
Instructions: All answers must be handwritten/typewritten in a short bond paper. You can send your
answers through the official PSHS e-mail of your subject teacher or submit a hard copy during our
face to face meetings.
1) In your own understanding, what is Statistics? Explain using 50 – 100 words.
2) Aside from the examples which were already mentioned, enumerate five importance of
Statistics in different fields.

KNOT
In summary, here are the things that you need to remember in this lesson.
• Statistics is a body of knowledge that deals with collection, organization and presentation,
analysis, and interpretation of data. It is also called as the “science of learning from data”.
• Statistics is used in different fields such as in Education, Agriculture, Health, Tourism,
Politics and Governance, and many others. It aids in summarizing data so that the public can
easily comprehend. It can help in decision making such as crafting policies and explain a
particular phenomenon. It also helps in predicting possible outcomes and estimate unknown
values. Finally, Statistics is an indispensable tool in making valid conclusions based on data.

References:

Bluman, A.G. (2014). Elementary statistics. McGraw-Hill Education: New York.

Brown, K. (2016, August 5). I tell my students, “Yes, you will use math in real life, here is how”.
Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/y5o7n6no
Department of Tourism. (2020, February 17). 2019 International arrivals exceed target with 8.26
million visitors to the Philippines. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/yxwo3brf
De Veaux, R.D., Velleman, P.F., & Bock, D.E. (2012). Stats: Data and models. Pearson Education:
Boston.
House Bill 1567 (2019, July 8). An act providing for a comprehensive nursing law towards quality
health care system, and appropriating funds therefor. Retrieved from
https://tinyurl.com/yyx46zg3
Macapagal, M. (2016, April 28). Who has spent the most money on campaign ads? Retrieved from
https://tinyurl.com/yyzpc9ye
Moore, D.S., Notz, W.I., & Fligner, M.A. (2013). The basic practice of Statistics.W.H. Freeman and
Company: New York.
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2018, August). Selected statistics on Agriculture 2018. Retrieved
from https://tinyurl.com/yad95rtu
San Buenaventura, P.R. (2019, January 30). Education equality in the Philippines. Retrieved from
https://tinyurl.com/y37zk6m4

Prepared by: Charmaigne D. Aguirre Reviewed by: Myrna B. Libutaque, PhD

Position: Special Science Teacher (SST) II Position: Special Science Teacher (SST) V
Campus: PSHS-WVC Campus: PSHS-WVC

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