Why do we need to understand statistics?

Answer 1

Statistics is the mathematical study of populations.

We need statistics in order to know something about a large group of something after only studying a small group of that something. We take a sample of a population and study it, and then we can usually draw conclusions about the rest of the population without also studying each member of the population individually.

It helps us to be sure that when we try to generalize about some pattern in the weather, behavior of certain people, or the yield of a chemical reaction, that it is objective mathematics that is doing the calculating and not anecdotal evidence based only on human experience.

We generalize about patterns and data every day, we just don't call it statistics when we do. We also count things every day, but we don't call it math when we do. Statistics and Multivariable Calculus are both just refined versions of the skills we already use. Understanding statistics makes you a more objective person and increases your ability to generalize about patterns and populations.