Week 7 - Reporting With Numbers

1) School Funding

66% of the school's budget comes from the state.
5% of the school's budget comes from student tuition
28% of the school's budget comes from fees, grants, and gifts

The most significant funding source is obviously from the state as it accounts for 2/3 of all funding. The next most significant funding source is from fees, grants, and gifts totaling just less than 1/4 of the budget. The least significant source of funding is tuition, brazing only 5% of the budget. Make it free then!

In plain words, the biggest contributor to the school's budget is the state, accounting for more than half of the budget. Following not very close behind is the money gathered from fees, grants, and gifts. That money accounts for a quarter of the budget. Last and certainly least is the small impact tuition has on the budget, accounting for a meager 5%.

2) Prison Sentences

The average prison term is 22 months or 1 year 10 months
The average probation term is also 22 months or 1 year 10 months

The median prison term is 1 year (12 months)

With this particular set of data, the most accurate description of prison terms is the median. The fact that one person received a 7-year sentence throws the average data out of sync. You can tell at first glance that the most common sentence is 1 year, without even crunching any numbers.

3) Restaurant Food Sales
(The following information is based on the California states sales tax - 7.25%)

If the state legislature were to enact a law exempting restaurant food sales from sales tax many fast-food patrons have the potential to save a lot of money.

If one were to eat out once a week, spending only $5 per meal, at the end of the year you would have saved $18.85.

If that same person were to eat out once a week but spend $20 per meal, at the end of the year he/she would have saved $75.40. There's an extra Xbox 360 game, or another textbook.