Help me find a particular book on statistics.

January 8, 2015 10:10 AM

Years ago I came across an introductory book on statistics that introduced the topic by means of a metaphor of a pile of sand (possibly dirt) dropped off in a front yard. As I recall, the author drew the parallel that statistics was the effort to describe the shape and size of the pile of sand. This is all that I can remember of the book (other than my wish that I'd bought it). Does this decription ring any bells?
posted by jperkins to Education (4 answers total)

I think it might be Penguins 'How to lie with Statistics".. Ring a bell?
posted by tanktop at 2:34 PM on January 8, 2015

Sorry, there's nothing like that in that book.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:02 PM on January 8, 2015

This link teaching an introductory course on statistics?

http://www.floppybunny.org/robin/web/virtualclassroom/stats/basics/part4.pdf
posted by Chitownfats at 8:34 AM on January 9, 2015

Response by poster: Chitownfats: That's remarkably close! However, this was a book I found in a campus bookstore.
posted by jperkins at 11:33 AM on January 9, 2015