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Statistics: Informed Decisions Using Data, 7th edition

Published by Pearson (December 22, 2023) © 2025

  • Michael Sullivan Joliet Junior College

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For 1- or 2-semester courses in Introductory Statistics.

See the bigger picture. Make informed choices.

Packed with classroom-tested and vetted content and strategies, Statistics: Informed Decisions Using Data offers a practical emphasis that shows how statistics is connected not only to concepts, but to the world at large.

Based on the popular Threaded Tornado Problem in the previous edition, the 7th Edition adds a new set of Threaded Health and Nutrition Problems, drawing on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This revision also adds a wealth of new and updated exercises, examples, and much more.

Hallmark features of this title

  • Putting It Together connects concepts from different chapters to show statistics as a whole, rather than a series of disconnected procedures.
  • Making an Informed Decision chapter openers pose a question and present the statistical concept needed for decision making.
  • Case Studies conclude each chapter to help students apply their knowledge.
  • Preparing for this Section quizzes verify that students have the knowledge needed for the next section, with page numbers for quick reference.
  • Retain Your Knowledge problems help students recall skills learned earlier in the course.
  • Big Data Problems, marked with an icon, let students analyze data sets with more than 50 observations covering tens of thousands of observations with thousands of variables.

New and updated features of this title

  • New Threaded Health and Nutrition problems: Based on the previous edition's popular Threaded Tornado problems, these are based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data obtained from the CDC.
    • Problems are marked with an icon. A provided table shows corresponding sections, problems, topics and page references. The problems can serve as a semester-long student project.
  • Over 200 new and updated exercises with varied difficulty levels and answer types:
    • Answers in the text provide recommended explanations of the statistical results. Not all the exercises are computational or require statistical analysis; many have been written to require that students explain statistical concepts, or understand pitfalls in faulty statistical analysis.
  • Over 50 new and updated examples: These follow the author's Problem, Approach, Solution presentation. Problem lays out the scenario of the example, Approach provides insight into the thought process behind the methodology used to solve the problem, and Solution goes through the solution utilizing the methodology suggested in the approach.
  • R Support: The Technology Step-by-Step that is included before every end of section exercise set now includes support for R and R Studio. View the available complete R guide.

Features of MyLab Statistics for the 7th Edition

  • New technology-specific Learning Aids in select exercises (Help Me Solve This & View an Example) offer technology-specific help for StatCrunch (-SC), the TI-84 graphing calculators (-TI), and Excel (-E).
  • New and updated Videos: Many new author lecture videos have been updated to provide a detailed presentation of the material, improve audio quality, and address accessibility requirements.
  • New MediaShare: This classroom tool for active, media-based learning makes it easy to exchange, read, and respond to instructional content. Choose from a curated library or create your own video quizzes and projects.
  • New Dynamic Study Modules use cognitive science to help students study chapter topics through quick practice and personalized remediation. Students can build confidence and deepen their understanding in key topics. Modules specific to this text were written by Heidi Lyne.
  • Revised Technology Step-by-Step Guides instruct students on obtaining statistical results for StatCrunch, the TI-84 graphing calculator and Excel. New Support for R and R Studio is now included in the Technology Step-by-Step that precedes every end-of-section exercise set; a complete R guide is available online.
  • New corresponding MyLab® problems are written by the author around the new Threaded Health and Nutrition problems in the text.

Applications Index

I. GETTING THE INFORMATION YOU NEED

  • 1. Data Collection
    • 1.1 Introduction to the Practice of Statistics
    • 1.2 Observational Studies versus Designed Experiments
    • 1.3 Simple Random Sampling
    • 1.4 Other Effective Sampling Methods
    • 1.5 Bias in Sampling
    • 1.6 The Design of Experiments
    • Chapter 1 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: What College Should I Attend?
    • Case Study: Chrysalises for Cash

II. DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS

  • 2. Organizing and Summarizing Data
    • 2.1 Organizing Qualitative Data
    • 2.2 Organizing Quantitative Data: The Popular Displays
    • 2.3 Additional Displays of Quantitative Data
    • 2.4 Graphical Misrepresentations of Data
    • Chapter 2 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Tables or Graphs?
    • Case Study: The Day the Sky Roared
  • 3. Numerically Summarizing Data
    • 3.1 Measures of Central Tendency
    • 3.2 Measures of Dispersion
    • 3.3 Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion from Grouped Data
    • 3.4 Measures of Position and Outliers
    • 3.5 The Five-Number Summary and Boxplots
    • Chapter 3 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: What Car Should I Buy?
    • Case Study: Who Was "A Mourner"?
  • 4. Describing the Relation Between Two Variables
    • 4.1 Scatter Diagrams and Correlation
    • 4.2 Least-Squares Regression
    • 4.3 Diagnostics on the Least-Squares Regression Line
    • 4.4 Contingency Tables and Association
    • 4.5 Nonlinear Regression: Transformations (online)
    • Chapter 4 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Relationships among Variables on a World Scale
    • Case Study: Thomas Malthus, Population, and Subsistence

III. PROBABILITY AND PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS

  • 5. Probability
    • 5.1 Probability Rules
    • 5.2 The Addition Rule and Complements
    • 5.3 Independence and the Multiplication Rule
    • 5.4 Conditional Probability and the General Multiplication Rule
    • 5.5 Counting Techniques
    • 5.6 Simulating Probability Experiments
    • 5.7 Putting It Together: Which Method Do I Use?
    • 5.8 Bayes's Rule (online)
    • Chapter 5 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: The Effects of Drinking and Driving
    • Case Study: The Case of the Body in the Bag
  • 6. Discrete Probability Distributions
    • 6.1 Discrete Random Variables
    • 6.2 The Binomial Probability Distribution
    • 6.3 The Poisson Probability Distribution
    • 6.4 The Hypergeometric Probability Distribution (online)
    • 6.5 Combining Random Variables (online)
    • Chapter 6 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Should We Convict?
    • Case Study: The Voyage of the St. Andrew
  • 7. The Normal Probability Distribution
    • 7.1 Properties of the Normal Distribution
    • 7.2 Applications of the Normal Distribution
    • 7.3 Assessing Normality
    • 7.4 The Normal Approximation to the Binomial Probability Distribution
    • Chapter 7 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Stock Picking
    • Case Study: A Tale of Blood Chemistry

IV. INFERENCE: FROM SAMPLES TO POPULATION

  • 8. Sampling Distributions
    • 8.1 Distribution of the Sample Mean
    • 8.2 Distribution of the Sample Proportion
    • Chapter 8 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: How Much Time Do You Spend in a Day…?
    • Case Study: Sampling Distribution of the Median
  • 9. Estimating the Value of a Parameter
    • 9.1 Estimating a Population Proportion
    • 9.2 Estimating a Population Mean
    • 9.3 Estimating a Population Standard Deviation
    • 9.4 Putting It Together: Which Method Do I Use?
    • 9.5 Estimating with Bootstrapping
    • Chapter 9 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: How Much Should I Spend for this House?
    • Case Study: Fire-Safe Cigarettes
  • 10. Hypothesis Tests Regarding a Parameter
    • 10.1 The Language of Hypothesis Testing
    • 10.2 Hypothesis Tests for a Population Proportion
    • 10.2A Using Simulation to Perform Hypothesis Tests on a Population Proportion (online)
    • 10.2B Hypothesis Tests for a Population Proportion Using the Normal Model (online)
    • 10.3 Hypothesis Tests for a Population Mean
    • 10.3A Using Simulation and the Bootstrap to Perform Hypothesis Tests on a Population Mean (online)
    • 10.3B Hypothesis Tests for a Population Mean Using Student's t -Distribution (online)
    • 10.4 Hypothesis Tests for a Population Standard Deviation
    • 10.5 Putting It Together: Which Method Do I Use?
    • 10.6 The Probability of a Type II Error and the Power of the Test
    • Chapter 10 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Selecting a Mutual Fund
    • Case Study: How Old Is Stonehenge?
  • 11. Inference on Two Population Parameters
    • 11.1 Inference about Two Population Proportions
    • 11.1A Using Randomization Techniques to Compare Two Proportions (online)
    • 11.1B Inference About Two Population Proportions Using the Normal Model (online)
    • 11.2 Inference about Two Means: Dependent Samples
    • 11.2A Using Bootstrapping to Conduct Inference on Two Dependent Means (online)
    • 11.2B Inference About Two Population Means: Dependent Samples Using Student's t -Distribution (online)
    • 11.3 Inference about Two Means: Independent Samples
    • 11.3A Using Randomization Techniques to Compare Two Independent Means (online)
    • 11.3B Inference About Two Population Means: Independent Samples Using Student's t -Distribution (online)
    • 11.4 Inference about Two Population Standard Deviations
    • 11.5 Putting It Together: Which Method Do I Use?
    • Chapter 11 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Which Car Should I Buy?
    • Case Study: Control in the Design of an Experiment
  • 12. Inference on Categorical Data
    • 12.1 Goodness-of-Fit Test
    • 12.2 Tests for Independence and the Homogeneity of Proportions
    • 12.3 Inference about Two Population Proportions: Dependent Samples
    • Chapter 12 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Benefits of College
    • Case Study: Feeling Lucky? Well, Are You?
  • 13. Comparing Three or More Means
    • 13.1 Comparing Three or More Means (One-Way Analysis of Variance)
    • 13.2 Post Hoc Tests on One-Way Analysis of Variance
    • 13.3 The Randomized Complete Block Design
    • 13.4 Two-Way Analysis of Variance
    • Chapter 13 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Where Should I Invest?
    • Case Study: Hat Size and Intelligence
  • 14. Inference on the Least-Squares Regression Model and Multiple Regression
    • 14.1 Testing the Significance of the Least-Squares Regression Model
    • 14.1A Using Randomization Techniques on the Slope of the Least-Squares Regression Line (online)
    • 14.1B Testing the Significance of the Least-squares Regression Model Using Student's t -Distribution (online)
    • 14.2 Confidence and Prediction Intervals
    • 14.3 Introduction to Multiple Regression
    • 14.4 Interaction and Dummy Variables
    • 14.5 Polynomial Regression
    • 14.6 Building a Regression Model
    • Chapter 14 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Buying a Home
    • Case Study: Housing Boom
  • 15. Nonparametric Statistics
    • 15.1 An Overview of Nonparametric Statistics
    • 15.2 Runs Test for Randomness
    • 15.3 Inference about Measures of Central Tendency
    • 15.4 Inference about the Difference between Two Medians: Dependent Samples
    • 15.5 Inference about the Difference between Two Medians: Independent Samples
    • 15.6 Spearman's Rank-Correlation Test
    • 15.7 Kruskal - Wallis Test
    • Chapter 15 Review
    • Chapter Test
    • Making an Informed Decision: Where Should I Live?
    • Case Study: Evaluating Alabama's 1891 House Bill 504

Photo Credits


Appendix A: Tables


Appendix B: Lines (online)


Answers


Index

About our author

With training in mathematics, statistics and economics, Mike Sullivan, III has a varied teaching background that includes 15 years of instruction in both high school- and college-level mathematics. He is currently an adjunct instructor at Florida SouthWestern State College and retired faculty at Joliet Junior College. Mike has numerous textbooks in publication in addition to his Introductory Statistics Series, including a Developmental Math series and a Precalculus series which he writes with his father, Michael Sullivan.  

Mike built this book in the classroom using feedback from his students. He is well aware of the challenges of students taking an introductory statistics course. His goal is for students to be more informed interpreters of data, so they will become better decision makers with stronger critical-thinking skills. When not in the classroom or writing, Mike enjoys spending time with his children Michael, Kevin and Marissa, and playing golf.

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