Preface
Introduction
Data Analysis with Microsoft® Excel: Updated for Offi ce 2007® harnesses
the power of Excel and transforms it into a tool for learning basic statistical
analysis. Students learn statistics in the context of analyzing data. We feel
that it is important for students to work with real data, analyzing real-world
problems, so that they understand the subtleties and complexities of analy-
sis that make statistics such an integral part of understanding our world.
The data set topics range from business examples to physiological studies
on NASA astronauts. Because students work with real data, they can appre-
ciate that in statistics no answers are completely fi nal and that intuition and
creativity are as much a part of data analysis as is plugging numbers into
a software package. This text can serve as the core text for an introductory
statistics course or as a supplemental text. It also allows nontraditional stu-
dents outside of the classroom setting to teach themselves how to use Excel
to analyze sets of real data so they can make informed business forecasts
and decisions.
Users of this book need not have any experience with Excel, although
previous experience would be helpful. The fi rst three chapters of the book
cover basic concepts of mouse and Windows operation, data entry, formulas
and functions, charts, and editing and saving workbooks. Chapters 4 through
12 emphasize teaching statistics with Excel as the instrument.Using Excel in a Statistics Course
Spreadsheets have become one of the most popular forms of computer soft-
ware, second only to word processors. Spreadsheet software allows the user
to combine data, mathematical formulas, text, and graphics together in a
single report or workbook. For this reason, spreadsheets have become indis-
pensable tools for business, as they have also become popular in scientifi c
research. Excel in particular has won a great deal of acclaim for its ease of
use and power.iv