Statistics with a Sense of Humor: A Humorous Workbook & Guide to Study Skills

While this book could not possibly be used as a textbook for a basic statistics class, it has significant promise as a supplement. It could be used as the source of homework problems that would not only be challenging, but also fun to complete. There are 58 different problems covering a wide range of statistical concepts. It begins with a review of basic mathematics principles such as order of operations and variable manipulation and goes through data sets, standard normal curve, regression, hypothesis testing, chi square, ANOVA and non-parametric tests. There is a question at the start of each problem, some of which are: *) What do you get if you cross a jeweler and a plumber? *) Why did the muffler person quit her job? *) What is in the "honeymoon salad?" The answer to the riddle is found by working through the problems and then mapping the solutions to letters or words. There is a companion answer key for instructors. Before each problem there is a page devoted to a tip for success in statistics. They are fairly standard, some of which are: *) Read the problem carefully, making sure you understand each word. *) Don't assume that because the number appears on the calculator that it is automatically right. *) Where appropriate, work the problem on graph paper. This book could be used to teach statistics at both the high school and college levels. From my experience teaching education majors, I think that they would find it especially interesting and fun to work through.