Samantektartölfræði

Samantektartölfræði is the Icelandic term for descriptive statistics. It is a branch of statistics that deals with the methods of collecting, organizing, summarizing, and presenting data in a meaningful way. The primary goal of descriptive statistics is to describe the main features of a dataset.

Key aspects of samantektartölfræði include measures of central tendency, which describe the center or typical value of a dataset. Common measures include the mean (meðaltal), median (miðgildi), and mode (tíðasta gildi). Measures of dispersion, also known as measures of variability, describe how spread out the data is. Examples include the range (sveig), variance (dreifni), and standard deviation (staðalfrávik).

Visual representations are also a crucial part of samantektartölfræði. Histograms (súlurit), bar charts (súlumyndir), pie charts (kringlukökurit), and box plots (kassarit) are used to visually display the distribution and characteristics of data. These visualizations help in understanding patterns, trends, and outliers within the data.

Samantektartölfræði is distinct from inferential statistics, which uses sample data to make generalizations or predictions about a larger population. Descriptive statistics focuses solely on summarizing and describing the observed data without drawing conclusions about anything beyond that specific dataset. It is a fundamental tool used in various fields, including science, business, and social sciences, to gain insights from collected information.