Question

How can simply plotting how often something happens—such as tests of a certain score or where referees place a football on the field in American football— highlight interesting statistical anomalies?

Answer 1

Plotting the frequency of events can highlight interesting statistical anomalies.

Step-by-step explanation:

When plotting the frequency of certain events, such as test scores or referee placements in American football, statistical anomalies can be highlighted. An anomaly is an observation that deviates significantly from what is expected. By visually representing the frequency of these events in a graph, we can identify patterns or outliers that may indicate interesting statistical anomalies.

For example, if we plot the test scores of a class on a histogram, we may notice that most students scored around the average, but there are a few students who scored much higher or much lower. These outliers can be considered statistical anomalies and may warrant further investigation.

Similarly, in American football, if we plot the placement of referees' flags on the field, we may notice that there is a cluster of flags around a specific area. This could indicate a statistical anomaly where referees tend to make more calls in that particular region of the field.