Discussion: Statistical Literacy
• Should you use the median or mean to describe a data set if the data are not skewed? Are the standard deviation or the interquartile range factors?
• You may read in the newspaper that a study of a new drug for cancer "increased survival by an average of eight weeks." It turns out that this is a median, and it is used for complicated statistical reasons. But in a perfect world, would you prefer to know the increase in mean or median survival?
• If the median house price is $1.9m, does that necessarily mean that half of the houses on the block are worth less than $1.9m and half worth more? How do ties figure in?
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.