Ted Olsen

More than Skittles in a Bag.

All around us is data that can be measured and interpreted. These interpretations are

called statistics. Statistics impacts everyone, from the light cycle of a stop light determining how

long one has to wait at a red light, to studying process of a company to increase productivity.

One example of statistics is with studying the candy Skittles. Each bag of skittles has unique

numbers of skittles with different proportions of colors.

This semester our Introductory Statistics class each went out and bought a bag of skittles

and collected the data of how many skittles were in our individual bags and the proportion of the

different colors per bag. There was a total of 104 bags of Skittles that were collected making up

our sample. We combined the data for this sample of 104 bags and collected both the number of

candies per bag and the number of candy colors into a group of class data and ran different

statistical analysis on these bags of Skittles.

In our class sample we had a total of 6,255 skittles total, out of those bags the average or

mean number of candies per bag was 60.14 candies with a variation or standard deviation of

3.625 candies per bag. The five number summary, which are numbers that describe number of

skittles per bag divided into sections to aid in visualizing the data, is low of 45, quarter 1 of 58,

median of 60, quarter 3 of 62, and high of 82. These two descriptions between the mean and

standard deviation and 5 numbers summary help to display different things. The mean is a good

description because it is resistant too our three extreme data of 45, 72, and 82 candies per bag.

However the 5 number summary helps display these numbers and shows the fluctuation possible

in the bags. Below is two charts that show the distribution of candies per bag.
 The data of candies per bag follows a fairly normal distribution with the one outlier. The

data is consistent to what would be expected. In the packaging process the machine should be

calibrated to a set amount with a margin of error that would describe the variability. As imagined

as well if the number of samples were to increase we would find that a normal distribution would

be obtained. It is interesting to see the two extremes in the data. It makes me wonder what

happened to have a bag that has 42 candies and 82 candies. It almost seems that one bag was
shorted 20 candies that the other received. It would be interesting to see in packaging how often

extremes occur and the reason for them, it was not something that I expected to see.

In each bag there is five different colors of skittles, red, green, yellow, orange, and

purple. Each color correlates to a different flavor so the colors do have a physical significance to

what you get in each bag. The total number of skittles that was obtained by the class was 6,255

total candies. Our class hypothesized that you would see each color would make up 20% of the

total of the bag. Our data from the class showed very close numbers to our hypothesis. Red made

up 21.31% of each bag, green 20.5%, yellow 19.63%, orange 19.31 %, and purple 19.25%.

These proportions made sense during packaging it would make sense to have the system

automate to ensure that there is no large deviation to prevent a physically or statistically

significant difference. That way there can be no complaints from customers with claims that their

favorite flavor wasn’t in the bag or at a small proportion. Below are two graphs that show the

distribution of colors within the total sample data of skittles.

 This is my second time completing an activity like this but I learned more this time then I

had previously. I was able to understand sampling and the differences between a population and

sample a little more clearly. With our classes sample being chosen randomly from local

shipments of Skittles it would be interesting to see if any of the individual bags came from the

same batch of production. The population that was being measured against is every 12 ounce bag

of Skittles on the market and you look at the data such a small sample can create it shows the

importance of sampling instead of collecting data on the entire population which would take so

much time and money. If taken correctly a sample can suffice to understand what will truly

happen to the entire population.

The calculations that we did with understanding mean is important to know how to do

those calculations to be able to run additional test and understanding what we can do by seeing

distribution in graphing. Something as simple as calculating the basics of statistics is important

to be able to make sure your future calculations are correct.

You wouldn’t imagine that something like counting Skittles could show importance of

real world statistics and math however as you understand what the data really means is when you

really understand statistics. It’s more than just qualitative or quantitative figures each number

means something more. It matters that the average bag has 60 candies so that you can’t get sued

by customers because they paid $1.50 for 12 candies when the next customer pays $1.50 for 102

candies and they are supposed to contain the same amount. Average also matters because how

much should you be charging per bag to make a profit, color matters because if you are

manufacturing too many of one color is that making a difference in consumption. If every bag

had only orange skittles, it could effect if people buy them at all.
 Statistics is important in more than just creating products. It can affect the way that

patients are care for in a hospital. It is important to movement of traffic. As you understand more

about what data means and the way it applies to the world around you the more of an advantage

you can have as a producer and as a consumer. Knowledge about statistics will help me better

understand the world around me. The data I produce, and data that I can collect is all used in

statistics and it is important that I understand how it all works and what it all means.