Skittles & Stats

EXPLORING STATISTICS WITH SKITTLE DATA

Ashlyn Wright | Math 1040 | April 2017

 Collecting Data
To begin the data collection, everyone in the class bought a bag of skittles and counted
each color. The data was then combined for all of us to use.

Count Count Count Count

Count Red Orange Yellow Green Purple Total
Class Counts 14 13 11 8 13 59
15 11 13 12 14 65
11 16 12 15 7 61
13 19 12 7 14 65
14 12 14 12 6 58
16 15 13 7 12 63
8 19 12 8 9 56
17 6 6 14 16 59
13 12 18 10 10 63
13 15 13 6 14 61
12 10 8 14 11 55
14 6 13 16 10 59
13 8 11 14 12 58
11 15 11 12 13 62
* 8 8 25 13 5 59
10 17 8 11 13 59
11 8 14 18 9 60
14 9 13 14 8 58
12 11 5 18 14 60
10 12 17 9 14 62
8 9 11 11 14 53
14 13 10 9 12 58
9 13 12 12 10 56
15 8 13 13 11 60
8 13 15 9 13 58
8 10 17 13 8 56
18 11 17 8 8 62
17 11 17 7 14 66
17 6 13 14 7 57
8 18 13 10 15 64
10 9 16 15 7 57
12 12 12 12 12 60
12 10 12 13 13 60
11 13 13 12 12 61
13 11 10 15 9 58
9 10 14 16 9 58
13 5 12 9 22 61
My Bag 13 15 9 13 11 61
Averages 12.21 11.55 12.76 11.82 11.34 59.68
Totals 464 439 485 449 431 2268

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Comparing the data
The averages of each color were all about the same, which is what I expected. There were
a lot of bags with a surplus of yellow skittles, which differs from my bag which had a lot
of orange skittles. I italicized one row because its the only data I would consider a
possible outlier with 25 yellow and 5 purple. Removing it brings the averages a little bit
closer together (no more than 0.3).

Im skeptical about considering it an outlier because the total (59 skittles) was a common
amount. Keeping this data will yield a higher amount of yellow skittles, and a lower
amount of purple skittles on any graphic representations or summary statistics.

My skittles were distributed differently from the rest of the class. If you look at the class
totals you can see the colors from most to least go as follows: yellow, red, green, orange,
purple. In my bag, however, the order from most to least was: orange, red/green, purple,
yellow. Most notably, I had less yellow than any other color, while the class totals had
more yellow skittles than any other color.

5-Number Summary
With the total candies represented in a boxplot, it was very easy to see the distribution.
Before, I considered the possibility of an outlier, but its easy to see now there are none.
The graph is symmetric, almost exactly. I would have expected an outlier or surprise of
some sort to tilt it one way, but it seems like our class got a good sample of bags. My bag
had 61 total candies, which is the third quartile value shared by me and 4 other students
bags.

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 Categorical data, also known as qualitative, can be put into groups and counted in
that way. However, the values themselves of the individual variables cannot be added
together. For example, different colored candies: one cannot add yellow and red, but you
can count all the yellows, all the reds, and put them into their respective groups. The
variables in quantitative data can be added together. For example, the total number of
candies in the bag: there are 61 candies in one bag, 58 in another, and together there are
119 candies. Other examples of quantitative data include length, weight, and time.

To graph categorical data, it makes sense to use pie charts and bar graphs because
you can easily compare the totals of each group, or category. Bar graphs and pie charts
both have easily understood labels to compare different categories. When graphing
quantitative data, there are much more options and decisions to be made. Line graph, bar
graph, histogram, stem and leaf plot, frequency polygon, ogive, box plotall options to
consider when graphing quantitative data. Notice, bar graphs can be used for graphing
both categorical and quantitative data. However, a pie chart would probably be a bad
choice for quantitative data because it doesnt necessarily have groups. In a bar graph, you
can designate a class size to represent the data. Reversely, the quantitative graphs dont
work well with categorical data because the variables cannot be manipulated in the same
way.

MEAN, STANDARD DEVIATION, 5-NUMBER SUMMARY

Mean Standard Deviation Min Q1 Median Q3 Max
59.684 2.877 53 58 59.5 61 66

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Confidence Intervals

When first starting this project, we found the mean of our sample, and assumed
approximately that for the whole population. The confidence interval is basically a
legitimate approximation. When taking a random sample, the mean (and/or
proportion) will never be exactly the same as a different random sample. However,
with these methods we can be 90-99% sure about the range of the mean. Its a much
more accurate assumption of statistics to help you further understand what youre
dealing with. In the real world, a confidence interval is especially useful in the medical
field and certain tests because there isnt absolute certainty.

99% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL FOR YELLOW CANDIES

Total # of candies 2268
485
.01
Z/2 2.575
.2138
E (margin of error) .0218
Lower Bound .1917
Upper Bound .236
We are 99% confident that the population proportion of yellow skittles lies between .1917
and .236.

95% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL FOR MEAN CANDIES PER BAG

Total # of candies 2268
Total yellow candies 38
s .01
59.68
.05
Z/2 2.015
E (margin of error) .9403
Lower Bound 58.734
Upper Bound 60.626
We are 95% confident that the true value of the population mean number of candies per
bag is between 58.7397 and 60.6203.

When first starting this project, we found the mean of our sample, and assumed
approximately that for the whole population. The confidence interval is basically a
legitimate approximation. When taking a random sample, the mean (and/or
proportion) will never be exactly the same as a different random sample. However,
with these methods we can be 90-99% sure about the range of the mean. Its a much

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more accurate assumption of statistics to help you further understand what youre
dealing with. In the real world, a confidence interval is especially useful in the medical
field and certain tests because there isnt absolute certainty.

Summary
Despite the excitement skittles bring to the table, this project really wasnt about

skittles. The applications of this project in real-world situations are abundant. Ive already

seen how certain aspects of statistics play a role in my major, Computer Science and

Information Systems, and I only see the applications increasing from here.

One of the real-world applications of this project is the census. Every few years the

government collects data in the census, but what do they do with that data? They analyze

the data and develop statistics. They record changes, means, standard deviations

everything we covered in this project and more. For medicinal purposes, confidence

intervals are huge. Medical tests are not always correct, but statisticians have been able to

come up with probabilities and confidence intervals to interpret the test results. Its truly

incredible to imagine the stretch of this mathematical field ranges from saving lives to

finding the best odds at a casino.

Previous to taking this course, Math 1040 Statistics, I took discrete mathematics.

Discrete math is a useful application of math for programmers especially. While

completing this project I noticed there was some overlap between the two courses. The

math I did in this project is math that I could potentially be using or even creating in a

program someday.

One great thing about this project was the class groups. It was an online course, which

made working together a little different to say the least. However, I think working together

using and online discussion board was a beneficial experience for everyone. Sometimes Its

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easier to work alone, but the benefits of working in a group are worth it. The work gets

checked over thoroughly, and it exposes everyone to new ideas and ways of thinking.

I have really enjoyed this project and learned from it. Before I took this course,

statistics was my least favorite subject in math. Now that Ive seen real applications and

understand it, I love it. I never thought I would learn anything from skittles, but I never

collected and analyzed their data before, either.

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