Activity 3.

5 Applied Statistics
Introduction
Todays consumers are constantly trying to judge the quality of products. But what is
quality? How and by whom is quality determined? Some would say the designer
creates specifications, which in turn dictate the quality of a product. That quality is
also based on the acceptable value of a part within a whole product. Statistics are
commonly used in manufacturing processes to control and maintain quality. This
activity will allow you to apply statistics in order to analyze and determine the quality
of a set of wooded cubes.
In this activity you will collect data and then perform statistical analyses to determine
measures of central tendency and variation of the data. You will also represent the
data using a histogram.

Equipment

Engineering notebook
Pencil
Dial caliper

Procedure
1. Part of the manufacturing quality control testing for a toy is to measure the depth
of a connector piece that must fit into another part. The designed depth is 4.1 cm.
Every tenth part produced on the production line is measured. The following data
was collected during a two minute production period.
4.1, 4.1, 4.0, 4.1, 3.9, 4.4, 3.9, 4.3, 4.0, 4.2, 4.0, 3.8
3.8, 3.9, 3.9, 4.0, 4.0,4.0, 4.1, 4.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4
a. Calculate each of the following measures of central tendency. Show your
work.
Mean: 4.0667
Median: 4.05
Mode: 4, 4.1
b. Calculate each of the following measures of variation for the data set.
Show your work. A table has been provided to help you calculate the
standard deviations. In the table round values in the last two columns to
four decimal places. Report the standard deviation statistics to four
decimal places.
Range: 3.8 to 4.4
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Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 3.5 Applied Statistics Page 1

x-

(x - )2

3.8

-0.2667

3.9

-0.1667

3.9

-0.1667

4.0

-0.0667

0.07112889
0.0277888
9
0.0277888
9
0.444889

4.0

-0.0667

0.444889

4.0

-0.0667

0.444889

4.1

0.0333

0.110889

4.1

0.110889

4.1

0.0333
0.0333

4.2

0.1333

4.3

0.2333

4.4

0.3333

0.017689
0.0544288
9
0.11108889

SUM

0.110889

0.4059

Standard Deviation of this data: _0.1746_

c. Create a histogram for the data using the grid below. The horizontal axis
should display each length measurement from the minimum to maximum
recorded lengths. You may choose to begin with a dot plot and then fill in
the bars. Be sure to label your axes.
8
7
6
5

Frequency

4
3
2
1

3.8<x<4.0

4.0<x<4.2

4.2<x<4.4
d. What class interval is appropriate for the
measurement values reported as 4.1 cm?
2. Gather measurement data taken by your teammates
on Activity 3.3 Making Linear Measurements for the
largest outside diameter of the wheel. You should
collect at least 5 measurements. In your engineering
notebook, list each measurement value recorded by
your team (including yours) and show calculations
for the mean, median, mode, range and standard
deviation. Remember the rules for rounding in
statistics. Show your work.
3. Compare your results to a teammates calculations.
Make corrections to your work as necessary.

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Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 3.5 Applied Statistics Page 2

Conclusion
1 How can statistics of a products dimensions be used to assess the quality of the
product?
To see how accurate their dimensions shows how much precision and
effort goes into the product
2. In which phase(s) of a design process might statistics be most useful? Why?
In developing a solution, testing, design revision. In these stages you can find out
what dimensions work the best

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Introduction to Engineering Design Activity 3.5 Applied Statistics Page 3