Difference between revisions of "Some notes on quantitative literacy topics"

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:1 What is a measure? (see [[Quantitative Information in Knowledge Claims]])
 
:1 What is a measure? (see [[Quantitative Information in Knowledge Claims]])
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:2 Percentages and rates
 
:2 Percentages and rates
  

Revision as of 16:27, 12 April 2010

Return to Critical Thinking

These are topics that I'm working on for the next version of the textbook.

1 What is a measure? (see Quantitative Information in Knowledge Claims)
2 Percentages and rates
Ways of reporting a tuition increase.
Percentage increase vs. rate of increase
Smith Barney case (p. 163 old text)
3 Linear vs. Non-linear relationships
Linear relationship in a function: increases in x result in proportional increases in y.
Non-linear: proportion variable.
Taking aspirin every other day reduces your chances of getting a hear attack by 47%.
Compounding: Would you rather have a million dollars or get a penny one day, double that the next, for 30 days?


4 Baseline
Definition: A baseline is a standard of comparison for looking at the change in some quantity. Baselines are established by controlling for particular variables that distort quantitative comparisons.
Nominal vs. Real wages
How can an increase in nominal income and a decrease in real income occur simultaneously?
5 Surveys
Read Section on this in Quantitative Information in Knowledge Claims
6 Cognitive Bias (Read in Discipline 3 of textbook)
1 Confirmation bias
2 Fundamental attribution error
3 Anchoring
4 Framing
7 Probability
1 Definition,
2 Gambler's fallacy,
3 Predictive dreams
4 SI jinx
8 Causation
1 Regression analysis
2 Multiple regression analysis