Academic Vocabulary in Use - Units 26-27 exercises and keys

Oct 1, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo

Basic statistical terms and probability vocabulary are introduced through short explanatory texts, including ideas such as mean, mode, median, correlation, validity, reliability, distributions, and standard deviation. A probability problem uses random selection from a 52-card deck to define a random variable and construct a probability distribution. Additional sections cover useful statistical nouns (proportion, ratio, trend, likelihood) followed by Units 26.1–26.3 exercises with answer guidance, focusing on completing sentences and applying word forms in context.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Basic statistical terms

A probability problem

Other useful nouns for talking about statistics

Exercises

26.1 Complete the sentences

26.2 Use the correct form of the words in the box

26.3 Answer the questions

Graphs and diagrams

A Types of diagrams

# Basic statistical terms Notice the key vocabulary in these three short texts about statistics. Their average age is9 years old (the sum of heages divided by six).The mode(the most frequenlvalue)is 8.The median is 9.5 (the halfway pointbetween the two extremes of the range). Statisticians are often concerned with working outcorrelations⁴-the extent to which,say,left-handednesscorrelates with intelligence.They must ensure that anydatathey collect is valid,i.e.that it is measuring what itclaims to measure-all the subjects in the sample⁵must beappropriately and accurately assessed as left-orright-handed,forexample.The figures must also be rellable,ie they wouldbe consistent⁶if the measurements wererepeated.Usuallystatisticians hope that theircalculations wil show/indicateatendencyeg that lef harcded people wil be showo to besignificantly nore inteigert thanghi hanced people. Anornal distribution of data means thatost of the examples in a set of data are coseaveae,while relatively few examplesei to ane extreme or the other.Normallytet data shown on a chart will typicallya bet curve.It will often be necessary2wok qut.the extent to which individualsdeviate frem the norm²and to calculate theiqure tt represents standard deviation³ differ ²the average ³average difference from the norm ⁴connections,often as cause andeffect ⁵the subjects of the experiment or group representing the total population measured⁶the same⁷noticeably ## B A probability'problem Notice the vocabulary in this problem from a statistics textbook. Sue picks a card at random²from an ordinary pack of 52 cards.If the card is a king,shestops.If not,she continues to pick cards at random,without replacing them,until eithera king is picked or six cards have been picked.The random variable³,C,is the totalnumber of cards picked.Construct a diagram to illustrate the possible outcomes⁴of theexperiment,and use it to calculate the probability distribution⁵of C. 'likelihood of something happening ²by chance³number or element of a situation that canchange ⁴results ⁵assessment of probabilities for each possible value of C C Other useful nouns for talking about statistics In a class of 8 women and 4 men,what proportion¹are male?Answer:one thirdIn the same class what is the female to male ratio²?Answer:2:1The figures show a trend³towards healthier eating habits.The study investigates the increase in the volume⁴of traffic on the roads. 'number compared with another number ²relationship between two numbers showing howmuch bigger one is ³change in a particular direction ⁴amount,quantity We say 10 per cent(NOT the-10 per cent or +0 pereentage)of students got an A fortheir exam but the percentage of students achieving an A has increased. # Exercises ## 26.1 Complete the sentences. 1 The six subjects who took the test scored 24,22,16,16,16,and 14 points out of 30.The…was 16.The ….score was 19 and the …score was 18 2 The ……of all donations to the charity in 2003 was $3,938.The smallest donationwas $10 and the largest was $130.Most were around the …point of S60. 3 Each questionnaire item asked respondents to choose one ofa ……of six options,with the two being 'very disatisfied indeed and ‘completely satisfed. ## 26.2 Use the correct form of the words in the box to complete this text. distribute trend significant probable random correlation outcome vary Life insurance companies base their calculations on the laws of …,that isthey assess the likey __,given the differen such as age,sex,lifestyle and medical history of their clients.The premiums are therefore not chosen at_but are carefully calculated.The __of ages at which death occursand causes of death are studied to see if they ith other factors to betaken into account in setting the premiums.Naturally,the companies also monitor socialand react to any changes which mightaffect mortality rates. ## 26.3 Answer the questions. 1 There are 12 male students and 6

FAQs

What do correlation and standard deviation measure in statistics?

Correlation describes the extent to which two variables relate, for example whether left-handedness correlates with intelligence. Standard deviation represents how much individuals deviate from the norm, as the average difference from the norm.

How do you decide whether data is valid and reliable?

Validity means the collected data measures what it claims to measure, with subjects correctly and accurately assessed. Reliability means repeated measurements would be consistent, producing similar figures.

In the card-picking probability problem, what is the random variable C?

C is the total number of cards Sue picks until a king is drawn or six cards have been picked, whichever happens first.

Oct 1, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo