Module 1: Background You’ll Need 2

  • Know the statistical definition of the word random

The Word Random

The use of the word random in everyday language might be like saying:

”I saw a random person with a cat on his head in New York.”

Black and white photo of a man with a cat on his head.
Figure 1. A man in New York City with a cat on his head may be considered random, but in statistics, random means something else. 

random

The word random in statistics is used to describe things like objects pulled from a hat, a dice roll, or even a coin flip—every outcome has an equal chance of occurring.

The word random is often used when finding people to study, or choosing where to collect data from. Used statistically, it means that each individual in the large group has the same chance of being selected for data collection.