Probability and statistics allow us to make sense of the enormous mass of data that come from measurements of the natural and constructed worlds. Statistical data from opinion polls and market research are integral to informing business decisions and governmental policies. Many jobs require workers who are able to analyze, interpret, and describe data and who can create visual representations of data—charts, graphs, diagrams—to help get a point across succinctly and accurately. Moreover, a free society depends on its citizens to understand information, evaluate claims presented as facts, detect misrepresentations and distortions, and make sound judgments based on available data. Gathering, organizing, representing, summarizing, transforming, analyzing, and interpreting data are essential mathematical skills incorporated in the study of statistics that help fulfill these needs. Statistical reasoning rests on a foundation of probability. The study of probability quantifies the likelihood of an event and includes the analysis of odds and risk and the rigorous prediction of future events.
