NUMBERS AT WORK: The Story and Science of Statistics

It is hard to generate reader excitement over statistics, but this is sure to stimulate those with mathematicallY oriented imaginations and plenty of power in concentration. The author provides a firm background for statistics as a universal tool, and presents with puzzle problems, diagrams, and brief pieces of history and biography an enjoyable introduction to beginning statistical theory. (Previous exposure to algebra would be helpful but not entirely necessary) Concepts are related to household occurrences and to contemporary fields of work. Especially interesting is the discussion of the census in the section on sampling. Unfortunately, the. final section on computers and automation (featuring IBM) is not. handled so skillfully, but this is not integral to the basic mathematics presented.