probability vs Statistics
Message posted by sanja on June 16, 2000 at 12:00 AM (ET)

Discuss relationship between probability and statistics, and include ways it is used in statistical calculations

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Re: probability vs Statistics
Message posted by Stuart Jones on June 23, 2000 at 12:00 AM (ET)

All probability in maths does is work out how "probable" a certain event is likely to happen.

Take for example rolling a die. I have an equal chance of scoring a 1,2,3,4,5 or 6. Therefore the probability of me throwing a 6 is 1/6. This is what probability is - nothing more, nothing less.

There are many other ways probability is used in Calculations. Binomial method, probability densities, probability and inference methods. But they all do the same thing - work out probabilities.

Statistics as defined above would mean the collection of data, eg questionnaires, the analysis of data, eg working out probabilities, interpretating the results, ie making reccommendations, and then presenting the data, eg through presentaions.

Basically what it boils down to is that probability is a sub set of statistics, which is usually used to help in the anaysis & interpretation stages.