Raymond D. Brown, Drexel University; Shaw K. Chen, University of Rhode Island; Gary Cummings, Walsh College; Phyllis Curtiss, Bowling Green State University; Fred Derrick, Loyola College; John Dominguez, University of Wisconsin—Whitewater; Robert Elrod, Georgia State University; Mohammed A.
El-Saidi, Ferris State University; Stelios Fotopoulos, Washington State University;
Oliver Galbraith, San Diego State University; Patricia Gaynor, University of Scranton; Edward George, University of Texas—El Paso; Jerry Goldman, DePaul University; Otis Gooden, Cleveland State University; Deborah Gougeon, Appalachian State University; Jeffry Green, Ball State University; Irene Hammerbacher, Iona College; Robert Hannum, University of Denver; Burt Holland, Temple University; Larry Johnson, Austin Community College; Shimshon Kinory, Jersey City State College; Ron Koot, Pennsylvania State University;
Douglas Lind, University of Toledo; Subhash Lonial, University of Louisville;
Tom Mathew, Troy State University—Montgomery; John McGovern, Georgian Court College; Frank McGrath, Iona College; Jeff Mock, Diablo Valley College; Kris Moore, Baylor University; Ryan Murphy, University of Arizona;
Buddy Myers, Kent State University; Leon Neidleman, San Jose State University;
Julia Norton, California State University—Hayward; C. J. Park, San Diego State University; Leonard Presby, William Patterson State College; Harry Reinken, Phoenix College; Vartan Safarian, Winona State University; Sue Schou, Idaho State University; John Sennetti, Texas Tech University; William A. Shrode, Florida State University; Lynnette K. Solomon, Stephen F. Austin State University; Sandra Strasser, Valparaiso State University; Joseph Sukta, Moraine Valley Community College; J. B. Spaulding, University of Northern Texas; Carol Stamm, Western Michigan University; Priscilla Chaffe-Stengel, California State University—
Fresno; Stan Stephenson, Southwest Texas State University; Patti Taylor, Angelo State University; Patrick Thompson, University of Florida—Gainesville;
Russell G. Thompson, University of Houston; Susan Colvin-White, Northwestern State University; Nancy Williams, Loyola College; Dick Withycombe, University of Montana; Cliff Young, University of Colorado at Denver; and Mustafa Yilmaz, Northeastern University.
I would like to thank Vince Taiani for assistance with and permission to use what is known here as the Springdale Shopping Survey computer database.
Thanks to Minitab, Inc. for the support and technical assistance they have pro- vided. Thanks to Gary McCelland for his excellent collection of applets for this text, and to Lawrence H. Peters and J. Brian Gray for their outstanding cases
and the hands-on experience they have provided to the student. Special thanks to my friend and fellow author Gerry Keller and the producers of Data Analysis PlusTM 7.0 for their excellent software that has enhanced this edition.
The editorial staff of Cengage Learning is deserving of my gratitude for their encouragement, guidance, and professionalism throughout what has been an arduous, but rewarding task. Among those without whom this project would not have come to fruition are Charles McCormick, Acquisitions Editor; Suzanna Bainbridge and Elizabeth Lowry, Developmental Editors; Kelly Hillerich, Content Project Manager; Bill Hendee, Vice President of Marketing; Stacy Shirley, Art Director; Eleanora Heink, Editorial Assistant; Suellen Ruttkay, Marketing Co- ordinator, and Libby Shipp, Marketing Communications Manager. In addition, the world-class editorial skills of Susan Reiland and the detail-orientation of Dr. Jeff Grover, Dr. Debra Stiver, and Dr. Doug Barrett are greatly appreciated.
Last, but certainly not least, I remain extremely thankful to my family for their patience and support through seven editions of this work.
Ronald M. Weiers, Ph.D.
Eberly College of Business and Information Technology Indiana University of Pennsylvania
and
Adjunct, H. John Heinz III College Carnegie Mellon University
Using the Computer
In terms of software capability, this edition is the best yet. Besides incorporating Excel 2007, we feature Data Analysis PlusTM 7.0 and its primary workbook part- ners, Test Statistics and Estimators. The text includes 82 Computer Solutions pieces that show Excel and Minitab printouts relevant to chapter examples, plus friendly step-by-step instructions showing how to carry out each analysis or procedure involved. The Excel materials have been extensively tested with Microsoft Office 2007, but the printouts and instructions will be at least somewhat familiar to users of earlier versions of this spreadsheet software package. The Minitab printouts and instructions pertain to Minitab Release 16, but will be either identical or very similar to those for earlier versions of this dedicated statistical software package.
Because operating systems and software versions continually evolve, be sure to get the latest information by visiting the student premium site at: http://www.cengage.
com/bstats/weiers.
Minitab
This statistical software is powerful, popular, easy to use, and offers little in the way of surprises—a pleasant departure in an era when we too-often see software crashes and the dreaded “blue screen of death.” As a result, there’s not much else to be said about this dedicated statistical software. Note that Minitab 16 has excellent graphics that will not be nearly so attractive in some earlier versions.
Excel
This popular spreadsheet software offers a limited number of statistical tests and procedures, but it delivers excellent graphics and it seems to be installed in nearly every computer on the planet. As a result, it gets featured coverage in many of the newer statistics textbooks, including this one. Some special sections with regard to Excel appear below.
Data Analysis/Analysis ToolPak
This is the standard data analysis module in Excel 2007. Within the Data ribbon, Excel’s Data Analysis add-in should appear as a menu item at the right. If it does not, load the Data Analysis module as follows: Click the Microsoft Office but- ton at the upper left corner of the screen. Click the Excel Options button. Click Add-Ins. Be sure that Excel Add-Ins appears in the Manage box, then click Go.
In the Add-Ins Available box, select Analysis ToolPak and click OK. The Analysis ToolPak should now be available for use. If you get a prompt indicating that the Analysis ToolPak is not installed on your computer, click Yes to install it.
Data Analysis PlusTM 7.0
This outstanding software greatly extends Excel’s capabilities to include practi- cally every statistical test and procedure covered in the text, and it is very easy to use. It is available on the premium website and can be automatically installed by means of the startup instructions. Typically, the Excel file STATS will be in- serted into the XLstart folder in the Excel portion of your computer’s Windows directory. This software is featured in nearly one-third of the Computer Solutions sets of printouts and instructions that appear in the text. After installation, when you click the Tools ribbon, the Data Analysis Plus item will be among those ap- pearing in the menu below.
Test Statistics and Estimators Workbooks
These Excel workbooks are among those accompanying Data Analysis PlusTM 7.0.
They contain worksheets that enable us to carry out procedures or obtain solu- tions based only on summary information about the problem or situation. This is a real work-saver for solving chapter exercises, checking solutions that have been hand-calculated, or for playing “what-if” by trying different inputs to instanta- neously see how they affect the results. These workbooks are typically installed into the same directory where the data files are located.
Other Excel Worksheet Templates
There are 26 Excel worksheet templates generated by the author and carried over from the previous edition. As with the worksheets within the Test Statistics and Estimators workbooks, they provide solutions based on summary informa- tion about a problem or situation. The instructions for using each template are contained within the template itself. When applicable, they are cited within the Computer Solutions items in which the related analyses or procedures appear.
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