LECTURE 1

Question 1

What is the definition of statistics?

Answer 1

Statistics is the science of collecting, organizing, presenting, analyzing, and interpreting data.

Question 2

What is data?

Answer 2

Quantitative figures used for analysis, such as rainfall, farmers in a block, or area under crops.

Question 3

What are the five main processes in statistics?

Answer 3

1. Collection of data 2. Organization of data 3. Presentation of data 4. Analysis of data 5. Interpretation of data.

Question 4

Give an example of data.

Answer 4

Examples: Number of farmers in a block, rainfall over a period, or area under paddy crop.

Question 5

What are the main functions of statistics?

Answer 5

Simplifies complexity, presents facts, helps in policy formulation, facilitates comparisons, and aids forecasting.

Question 6

List some uses of statistics.

Answer 6

Administration, industry, business, economics, research, banking, insurance, and more.

Question 7

What are the limitations of statistics?

Answer 7

1. Applicable only with variability 2. Deals with groups, not individuals 3. Results are not exact 4. Susceptible to misuse.

Question 8

What is raw data?

Answer 8

Information collected through censuses, surveys, or other means before classification.

Question 9

What are the two types of data?

Answer 9

1. Primary data 2. Secondary data.

Question 10

What is primary data?

Answer 10

Data collected by direct observation, measurement, or count.

Question 11

What is secondary data?

Answer 11

Data compiled from existing records, reports, or other sources.

Question 12

List methods to collect primary data.

Answer 12

1. Direct personal interviews 2. Indirect oral interviews 3. Information from correspondents 4. Mailed questionnaire 5. Schedules through enumerators.

Question 13

What is the main merit of direct personal interviews?

Answer 13

Collected data is uniform and accurate since doubts can be clarified in person.

Question 14

What is the limitation of direct personal interviews?

Answer 14

Costly and time-consuming for large, widespread populations.

Question 15

What is the advantage of mailed questionnaires?

Answer 15

Economical, suitable for wide areas, and fast if responses are timely.

Question 16

What is the limitation of mailed questionnaires?

Answer 16

Cannot be used for illiterate informants and suffers from non-response.

Question 17

What are the merits of schedules sent through enumerators?

Answer 17

Reliable data, minimal non-response, and usable for illiterate informants.

Question 18

What are the two sources of secondary data?

Answer 18

1. Published sources 2. Unpublished sources.

Question 19

What are some published sources of secondary data?

Answer 19

Government publications, trade journals, reports from commissions, research organizations, and international bodies.

Question 20

What are the characteristics of good secondary data?

Answer 20

Reliable, adequate, suitable, accurate, complete, and consistent.

Question 21

What is quantitative data?

Answer 21

Data measured in numerical terms like weight (kg) or height (cm).

Question 22

What is qualitative data?

Answer 22

Data based on characteristics or attributes like crop varieties or soil type.

Question 23

What is the purpose of data classification?

Answer 23

To organize data into groups or classes based on shared characteristics.

Question 24

What are the four types of data classification?

Answer 24

1. Geographical 2. Chronological 3. Qualitative 4. Quantitative.

Question 25

What is geographical classification?

Answer 25

Data organized based on location or region, e.g., area under crops by state.

Question 26

What is chronological classification?

Answer 26

Data organized based on time, e.g., yearly production.

Question 27

What is qualitative classification?

Answer 27

Data organized based on attributes, e.g., type of farmers by land holdings.

Question 28

What is quantitative classification?

Answer 28

Data organized by magnitude, e.g., farmers grouped by land size.

Question 29

What are the two types of qualitative classification?

Answer 29

1. Simple classification 2. Manifold classification.

Question 30

What is simple classification?

Answer 30

Classification based on one attribute, e.g., cultivable land categorized as rainfed or irrigated.

Question 31

What is manifold classification?

Answer 31

Classification based on more than one attribute, e.g., land categorized by both crop type and irrigation method.

Question 32

What is the difference between primary and secondary data in terms of originality?

Answer 32

Primary data is original; secondary data is derived from existing records.

Question 33

What is the difference between primary and secondary data in terms of cost?

Answer 33

Primary data is costly; secondary data is less expensive.

Question 34

What are the advantages of tabulation?

Answer 34

Simplifies data, enables comparisons, and aids in analysis and interpretation.

Question 35

What are the characteristics of a good table?

Answer 35

Clarity, simplicity, completeness, accuracy, and proper organization.

Question 36

Define primary data with an example.

Answer 36

Data collected firsthand, e.g., counting the number of farmers in a block.

Question 37

Define secondary data with an example.

Answer 37

Data compiled from records, e.g., area statistics from government reports.

Question 38

What is the main difference between raw and grouped data?

Answer 38

Raw data is unorganized, while grouped data is arranged into classes.

Question 39

A simple table contains data on what?

Answer 39

One characteristic.

Question 40

When data is grouped with reference to time, it is called what?

Answer 40

Chronological classification.

Question 41

What does geographical classification organize data by?

Answer 41

Region.

Question 42

An arrangement of data into rows and columns is known as what?

Answer 42

Tabulation.

Question 43

Data on yield is an example of which type of variable?

Answer 43

Quantitative variable.

Question 44

What are qualitative variables also called?

Answer 44

Attributes.