ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of statistics

Okay kiddo, do you know what numbers are? They are things we use to count or measure things. Like if we have three apples, we can count them and see that there are three.

Now, grown-ups use numbers and data to make decisions and solve problems. They use something called statistics to help them.

Statistics is a way to study and analyze data so we can understand things better. It's been used for a really, really long time. In fact, ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Babylonians used statistics to record data and keep track of things like crop yields and taxes.

As time went on, people got better at using statistics. Scientists like Galileo and Newton used statistics to help them understand the world around them, like the laws of motion and gravity.

Later on, statistics became even more important for things like economics, political science, and medicine. People use statistics to figure out important things like how to cure diseases and how to make better policies for the government.

Nowadays, we use statistics all the time. We collect data on things like the weather, the economy, and even how many people use social media. It helps us make better decisions based on the information we have.

So, that's the history of statistics. It's a way that grown-ups use numbers to make better decisions and solve important problems.