In Exercises 1–6, describe the misuse or misinterpretation of
statistics that may be involved:
Over 60% of the people who fly to Normal, Illinois, do
so on American Airlines. Hence, most people prefer
American to any other airline.
Hehehe!
What do you think is wrong with that statement?
Duh! Thanks! ;)
The misuse or misinterpretation of statistics in this statement is the assumption that because over 60% of people who fly to Normal, Illinois, do so on American Airlines, it means that most people prefer American to any other airline. This is a faulty conclusion because it does not consider other factors that may influence airline choice.
To describe the misuse or misinterpretation of statistics, we can go through the following steps:
1. Identify the data: The data states that over 60% of people who fly to Normal, Illinois, choose American Airlines.
2. Consider the sample: The statement does not provide information about the total number of passengers who fly to Normal, Illinois. Without this information, it is challenging to generalize the preference of most people based on the given data.
3. Assess the bias: The statement assumes that the preference for American Airlines is based solely on the statistic provided. There may be other factors, such as ticket prices, flight availability, loyalty programs, or convenience of airport location, that influence airline choice.
4. Consider other airlines: The statement does not provide information about the market share of other airlines flying to Normal, Illinois. It is possible that American Airlines has a higher market share than other airlines, leading to a higher number of passengers flying with them. However, this does not necessarily represent the preference of most people.
5. Look for additional evidence: To determine the preference of most people, it would be necessary to conduct a comprehensive survey or study that considers various factors affecting airline choice and involves a representative sample of all passengers traveling to Normal, Illinois.
In summary, the misuse or misinterpretation of statistics in this statement is assuming that the high percentage of people flying on American Airlines represents the preference of most people without considering other factors or conducting a thorough analysis.