Question 1: Statistical strategy
The strategy here is to analyze the distribution or variation of the data instead of focusing on the measures of central tendency. Measures of central tendency can be misleading especially where the distribution is asymmetrical (Graham 38-80). In this case, the median life expectancy of eight months does not necessarily mean a cancer patient dies within eight months.
Question 2: Shape of the distribution
The available literature shows that cancer patients have a median mortality of eight months. The distribution of the life expectancy of cancer patients is not normally distributed. The data is positively skewed. Half of the cancer patients live more than eight months implying that the mean life expectancy is not equal to the median life expectancy.
Question 3: Details of the distribution
It is stated that the median life expectancy is eight months and half of the patients live longer than eight months. This implies that the mean is more than the median life expectancy. Since the mean is more than the median, the data is asymmetrical and is skewed to the right (Graham 38-80). Besides, it is stated that the life expectancy for cancer patients depends on factors that vary from one individual to another. The factors include age, the attitude of the patient, the socioeconomic factors, health, among other factors.
Question 4
My friend was diagnosed with brain tumour six years ago and was scheduled to undergo a brain surgery. We conducted research on the potential risks involved, among other factors. I found that only 40% of patients undergoing surgery die within one year after the surgery. This was scaring, and we had to conduct more research on the subject. We identified the factors affecting the life expectancy after the operation such as level of income, the health condition of the patient, positive attitude. What was surprising was that among certain groups, less than 10% of the patients die within one year after the surgery. This gave my friend the confidence to undergo the operation, and he is still alive six years down the line. This was an illustration of how measures of central tendency can be misleading.
Works cited
Graham, Alan. Statistics. 1st ed. Blacklick, OH: McGraw-Hill, 2008. Print.
