History Essay: History of Statistics

History of Statistics
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History of Statistics
The word statistics is derived from the Italian word statista, which means political state or government. In the past years, statistics were mainly used by kings and political leaders because they required information about territory size, commercial activities, population size, taxation, wealth, and other essential aspects for society's day-to-day governing. In contemporary times, statistics is defined as "the use of methods to express in precise terms that which one does not know" ADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"URL":"/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/statistics-history-interpretation-and-application","author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"Encyclopedia.com","given":"","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2020"]]},"title":"Statistics: History, Interpretation, And Application","type":"webpage"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=e38d4c44-300e-4923-805b-2fbae5e92667"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"(1)","plainTextFormattedCitation":"(1)","previouslyFormattedCitation":"(1)"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}(1). Gottfried Achenwall first used the concept in 1749 to imply the political science of different nations. He used the word Statistik. Hooper, an English scholar, used the word statistics when translating the Elements of Universal Erudition. In this work, statistics was defined as "the science that teaches us the political arrangement of all the modern states of the known world" ADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"URL":"/tutorials/basic-statistics/history-of-statistics.html","accessed":{"date-parts":[["2020","12","2"]]},"author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"EMathZone","given":"","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["0"]]},"title":"History of Statistics","type":"webpage"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=13ee7b33-3d5a-4f57-81c7-7bb005f2af24"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"(2)","plainTextFormattedCitation":"(2)","previouslyFormattedCitation":"(2)"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}(2). Over the years, there have been significant changes in statistics as a field. There is much difference between ancient statistics and contemporary statistics.
The modern statistics started to emerge during the 18th century when countries had fresh demands as the industry emerged. It is said that the development of the Western world was closely associated with the changes in statistics. One of the theories that developed as a result of these fresh demands by the developing states was the probability theory. The theory provided a firm theoretical basis for statistical analysis and models. During ancient times, statistics refer to information about countries, especially demographical data about a particular territory. However, fresh needs emerged; there was a gradual expansion of the statistical needs. This included collections of all types of information and later expanded to analyze and interpret the collected data or information.
The contemporary statistics include data from national accounts such as revenue, important information about weather, and other demographic data that require statistical inferences. Much of the statistical work undertaken in modern times is based on models that center on probability theories. With the emergence of computers and other technologies, it is easier to calculate and develop models that explain human society's different aspects. Statistics include individual data, set of numbers, and inferences based on the analysis and interpretation of information. While these developments are important, it is clear that statistics developed from an initial political field to a mathematic field.
The normal distribution is an important aspect in the field of statistics. It was first anticipated by Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). He was considering the errors that could be made during the measurement of the distance between the stars. In the following years, normal distribution was developed into a comprehensive mathematical model that explained astronomy errors. Pierre-Simon de Laplace and Carl Friedrich Gauss played a significant role in this important statistical analysis ADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"URL":"/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/statistics-history-interpretation-and-application","author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"Encyclopedia.com","given":"","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2020"]]},"title":"Statistics: History, Interpretation, And Application","type":"webpage"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=e38d4c44-300e-4923-805b-2fbae5e92667"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"(1)","plainTextFormattedCitation":"(1)","previouslyFormattedCitation":"(1)"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}(1). Further, the statical approach was later included in explaining social and demographic issues by Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian astronomer. He was responsible for developing a concept known as average man, which showed that regularities in the characteristics and behaviors of groups in line with probability laws ADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData":{"URL":"/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/statistics-history-interpretation-and-application","author":[{"dropping-particle":"","family":"Encyclopedia.com","given":"","non-dropping-particle":"","parse-names":false,"suffix":""}],"id":"ITEM-1","issued":{"date-parts":[["2020"]]},"title":"Statistics: History, Interpretation, And Application","type":"webpage"},"uris":["/documents/?uuid=e38d4c44-300e-4923-805b-2fbae5e92667"]}],"mendeley":{"formattedCitation":"(1)","plainTextFormattedCitation":"(1)","previouslyFormattedCitation":"(1)"},"properties":{"noteIndex":0},"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"}(1).
These developments influenced Florence Nightingale, a famous nursing pioneer. Nightingale urged governments and their agencies to keep records of important data. She argued that decisions within the healthcare environment must be based on statistical evidence to warrant effectiveness. Nightingale was referred to as the lady with data. Her passion for statistics assisted in saving lives, particularly during the Crimean war ADDIN CSL_CITATION {"citationItems":[{"id":"ITEM-1","itemData...