Probability and Statistics

Explores the history of probability, describing the modern concept of randomness and examining ""pre-probabilistic"" ideas of what most people today would characterize as randomness. It documents some historically important early uses of probability, and goes on to explore statistics and the generations of mathematicians and non-mathematicians who began to address problems in statistical analysis.

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Concepts from the fields of probability and statistics pervade our thinking--even those of us who believe in the existence of luck--and we routinely express ourselves using language borrowed from various branches of mathematics. News reports, weather reports, and even sports reports are some examples of the probabilistic and statistical thinking that seeps into our everyday lives. Probability and Statistics, Revised Edition deals with the history of probability, describing the modern concept of randomness and examining ""pre-probabilistic"" ideas of what most people today would characterize as randomness. This revised book documents some historically important early uses of probability to illustrate some very important probabilistic questions. It goes on to explore statistics and the generations of mathematicians and non-mathematicians who began to address problems in statistical analysis, including the statistical structure of data sets as well as the theory of sampling and the characterization of the nature of variation. The final chapter describes the role of statistics in the development, testing, licensure, and subsequent study of vaccines. A new chapter has been added that gives special attention to vaccines for measles, polio, pertussis, and rubella.