New Features:

• NEW! McGraw-Hill's Connect uses exercises pulled directly from the textbook to create static and algorithmic questions that can be used for practice, homework, quizzes, and tests.
• Revised learning objectives mapped to topics within chapter sections.
• Step-by-step instructions on using Excel 2007 for descriptive statistics, histograms, scatter plots, line charts, fitting trends, and editing charts.
• More “practice” exercises and more worked examples in the textbook.
• Sixteen large, real data sets that can be downloaded for class projects.
• Many updated exercises and new skill-focused “business context” exercises.
• Appendix on writing technical business reports and presenting them orally.
• Expanded treatment of business ethics and critical thinking skills.
• Closer compatibility between textbook exercises and Connect online grading.
• Rewritten instructor's manual with step-by-step solutions.
• New Mini Cases featuring Vail Resorts, Inc., a mountain resort company.
• Consistent notation for random variables and event probabilities.
• Improved flow of normal distribution concepts and matching exercises.
• Restructured material on sampling distributions, estimation, and hypothesis testing.
• Intuitive explanations and illustrations of p -values and steps in hypothesis testing.
• New format for hypotheses in tests of two means or two proportions.
• Moved two-sample confidence intervals to chapter on two-sample hypothesis tests.
• More coverage of covariance and its role in financial analysis.
• More emphasis on interpretation of regression results.
• End of each chapter guides to downloads from the Online Learning Center simulations, demonstrations, tips, and ScreenCam video tutorials for Excel, MegaStat, and Minitab.

Retained Features:

• Improved, nontechnical introductions to chapter topics.
• Updates and improvements throughout, including examples, exercises, and large data sets.
• Expanded and updated mini cases that will motivate and interest students.
• New exercises and examples using real data from Noodles & Company, a rapidly growing casual dining chain.
• Videos covering Noodles & company and how they do forecasting, make location decisions, and conduct marketing research.
• New Exam review question sections follow selected chapters and provide a tool for student exam prep.
• Compatibility with Microsoft Excel 2007, as well as excel 2003.
• Inference chapters 9 and 10 have been reorganized to allow more course focus on means as opposed to proportions.
• Series of mini-cases illustrate complete projects using applied statistics.
• Strong focus on interpretation and applied business decisions; using Excel and/or MegaStat in a practical manner to handle the computations.
• Exercises, examples, and the narrative are fully integrated with Excel.
• Superior technology support offered with the inclusion of MegaStat for Excel, Visual Statistics and Learning Statistics resources.
• Thorough treatment of graphical presentations and business writing.
• Quality graphic and computation-driven lessons on regression and modeling followed by thorough analysis of time series and forecasting.
• Consistent 5-step approach to hypothesis testing with special consideration of inference mechanics, proportions, and power curves.
• Authors Lori Seward and David Doane are experienced teachers and the text is focused on student learning.
• Healthcare examples and data sets provide a sub-theme that connects the use of statistics to one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy.
• Real data and examples are used to support and develop problem solving skills.