Unit 4: Data-Driven Café
Given two years of POS data, what inventory and staffing plan will maximize weekend profits without raising waste above 3%?
Work with real café POS data to create data-driven recommendations for weekend operations optimization.
- ▶Build a working prototype with forecast logic and error validations
Mean
The arithmetic average of a data set, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the count.
Median
The middle value in a sorted data set; half the values are above it and half are below it.
Standard Deviation
A measure of how spread out data values are from the mean; a larger value means more variability.
Z-Score
A measure of how many standard deviations a data point is from the mean; values beyond ±2 are often considered unusual.
Outliers
Data points that fall far outside the normal range of a data set and may distort statistical analysis.
Linear Regression
A statistical method that models the relationship between two variables as a straight line, used for forecasting.
FORECAST.LINEAR
An Excel function that predicts a future value along a linear trend based on existing data points.
Data Cleaning
The process of detecting and correcting errors, inconsistencies, and missing values in raw data before analysis.
Text to Columns
An Excel tool that splits text in one column into multiple columns based on a delimiter such as a comma or space.
TRIM Function
An Excel function that removes extra spaces from text, leaving only single spaces between words.
Descriptive Statistics
Summary measures that describe the central tendency and spread of a data set, such as mean, median, and standard deviation.
Histogram
A bar chart that shows the frequency distribution of a continuous data set, revealing its shape and spread.
Box Plot
A chart that displays the five-number summary (minimum, Q1, median, Q3, maximum) and highlights outliers visually.
Scatterplot
A chart that plots pairs of numeric values as points on a grid, used to visualize the relationship between two variables.
POS Data
Transaction records captured at the point of sale, including items sold, prices, quantities, and timestamps.
Analysis ToolPak
An Excel add-in that provides advanced statistical tools such as descriptive statistics, histograms, and regression analysis.
Waste Percentage
The proportion of purchased inventory that is discarded before being sold, calculated as (Wasted Units ÷ Total Units) × 100.
Excel Table
A structured range of data in Excel with named columns, auto-expanding formulas, and built-in formatting.
Study these terms
These 18 terms appear across this unit. Use the bilingual glossary to review them, or start a vocabulary study session to practice with flashcards, matching, and speed round.
Practice this unit's vocabulary with flashcards, a matching game, or a timed speed round. Your progress is tracked locally and can be exported.
Statistical analysis presentation to café owners
Ready to prove your statistical mastery? Launch the Unit 4 practice test to rehearse data cleaning, forecasting, and what-if analysis with randomized questions from every café lesson.
Tip: Complete Lesson 10 first so you can apply dashboard validation and investor-readiness checks while reviewing your answers.