People use data and statistics to them make important policy decisions, to identify problems in an organization, and to predict outcomes. in this unit, you studied various ways to analyze and represent data sets to determine how to best interpret the data. you also learned how to critically examine the data and account for outside factors that may influence the patterns you see in the data.

think about the many statistical scores or rankings you receive in school, such as gpa, sat and act scores, test scores, and class ranking. describe the usefulness and limitations of these pieces of data in defining who you are as a person or as a student. in what ways do they give a clear picture? what are they not conveying?