Re: Why use a high end calculator at all?
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Re: Why use a high end calculator at all?
Beware statistics means different things to different people. When you say
you are
"contemplating pursuing a degree in Statistics" to most colleges and
universities with
statistics departments or programs they may think you mean Mathematical
Statistics.
Mathematical Statistics in brief is the theory behind all those formulas
and procedures
that users work with but often have little or no idea as to why they work.
Mathematical Statistics requires a good mathematical background, which
includes calculus and some linear algebra and in some cases differential
equation theory. It seems from your job description you may be more
interested in the applications of statistics not in the theory of
statistics. Statistics is a great communications tool. We call that
Descriptive Statistics. Typically Descriptive Statistics is not a topic
included in Mathematical Statistics courses. Choose your school wisely.
I use Minitab and a TI-86 with the advanced stats programs provided by TI.
Good Luck
Gary Wardall
>Hello All,
>
>As I have mentioned elsewhere, I am contemplating pursuing a degree in
>Statistics. I work in a very large organisation and I produce regular
>reports on the performance of a segment of our employees using
>measurable criteria.
>
>In these reports I include *very* basic stats information: ie Average,
>Standard Deviation, Median etc (told you it was basic).
>
>I am interested in upgrading my skills to provide more sophisticated
>analysis of the information I receive.
>
>Now that the preamble is over, my question is: why do people use
>high-end calculators, such as the various TI models discussed in this
>forum?
>
>I use Excel Ver 5 to produce my reports: are there many *practical*
>statistical functions that are not available natively in a package
>like Excel?
>
>I use the word 'practical' to imply statistical information that would
>be useful in presentation to managers, many of whom do not have a
>statistical background.
>
>I ask because I will almost certainly need a good calculator for my
>future studies, but I want to know if I should 'invest in the best,'
>whatever that may be, or search for something that does most of what
>I'm looking for without attempting to be comprehensive. In other
>words, will a good calculator also have a work benefit, aside from
>study?
>
>Sorry about the meandering questions above.
>
>Any responses appreciated.
>
>Best regards to all,
>
>Midnight.