Math 256, Hallstone Minitab Homework 2 Spring 2008
Entering Data – quantitative variable example
If necessary, boot up the MINITAB program according to the boot up instructions.
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Entering the Data
1) Data must go in columns, not rows. At the top of the first column (C1), there is a cell for the name of the column. Put your name(s) there so you can recognize your printing.
2) Move to Row 1. Type in each piece of data, using only one column since this is just one variable.
3) Press the “down” arrow. (To enter the data above, you will hit 3, down arrow, 3 down arrow, etc.)
4) If you have a new variable, start a new column and repeat steps 2 and 3 until all data points are entered. The above is only one variable, so it all goes in one column.
Analyzing the Data
1) Pull down the “Stat” menu, holding the mouse button down. Move to “Basic statistics” and move the cursor to “Display descriptive statistics” and click on that.
2) A window appears asking for the variables. Double click on the column that you want. (C1, the one with your name in this case.) Then hit “OK.”
The session window should now show the mean, median, etc.
Histogram
1) Pull down “Graph” menu.
2) Choose the “Histogram…” option.
3) Highlight “Simple” and hit “OK.”
4) For the “Graph Variables,” double click on “C1.”
5) Click “OK,” and a window should open with the histogram.
6) To print, choose the “Print Graph…” option and then click on “OK.”
Box plot
1) Pull down the “Graph" menu.
2) Choose the "Boxplot…” option.
3) Highlight “Simple” and hit “OK.”
4) For the “Graph Variables:,” double click on “C1.” For back-to-back boxplots, see me or a later handout.
5) Click “OK.”
6) To print any graph, follow the directions for printing the histogram.
Side-by-side boxplots
In recent years there has been some evidence to suggest that high indoor radon concentration may be linked to the development of childhood cancers, although many health professionals remain unconvinced. An article from several years ago ("Indoor Radon and Childhood Cancer," The Lancet (1991):1537-1538) presented the accompanying data on radon concentration (Bq/m3) for houses in which children living there had no cancers.
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Suppose this second set of data comes from houses in which one of the children had cancer.
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Start a new worksheet and enter the data in 2 columns.
1) Pull down the “Graph" menu.
2) Choose the "Boxplot…” option.
3) Highlight Multiple Y’s “Simple” and hit “OK.”
4) For the “Graph Variables:,” double click on the 2 columns you used. .
5) Click “OK.”
6) Print the graph.
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