7 Data Analysis Software Applications You Need to Know

SAS is a well-known suite of statistical analysis software developed by the SAS Institute for
various analytical purposes, including business intelligence, advanced analytics, and predictive
analytics.
SAS (Statistical Analysis System) is a set of software tools developed by the SAS Institute to help people
analyze data. It’s widely used in many fields, including business, healthcare, education, and government.
Here's a breakdown of its main uses:
1. Business Intelligence: SAS helps businesses make better decisions by analyzing their data. For
example, it can help companies understand customer behavior, predict future trends, and optimize their
operations.
2. Advanced Analytics: Advanced analytics refers to the use of complex methods and techniques to
analyze data in more depth than traditional data analysis. It's about using sophisticated tools and models
to uncover hidden patterns, predict future outcomes, and make data-driven decisions.
3. Predictive Analytics: This is about using past data to predict future outcomes. For instance, SAS might
be used to predict which products a customer is most likely to buy next based on their past behavior or
to forecast sales numbers for the coming months.

Analysts use SAS to retrieve, report, analyze, and visualize data.

When we say that analysts use SAS to "retrieve, report, analyze, and visualize data," we’re talking about four
main stages of working with data in SAS. Here’s what each of these terms means in this context:
1. Retrieve:
This means gathering or pulling data from various sources. SAS allows analysts to access data stored in
different places, such as databases, spreadsheets, or text files. This step is crucial because data often
comes from multiple sources, and SAS enables analysts to bring all this information together in one
place.
2. Report:
Once data is gathered, SAS can create reports that summarize the key information or findings. Reports
help present data in a structured format, often with tables, summaries, and visuals that make it easier for
others to understand the insights. This is helpful for sharing information with stakeholders or decision-
makers who need a clear overview of the data.
3. Analyze:
Analysis is the process of examining the data to find patterns, trends, and insights. SAS has many
statistical and analytical tools that let analysts explore data, run calculations, and apply statistical
techniques. This could involve finding averages, identifying relationships between variables, or
predicting future trends based on historical data.
4. Visualize:
Visualization is about presenting data in a visual format, such as charts, graphs, and dashboards. SAS
has visualization tools that make it easy to turn complex data into visual representations, which help
communicate findings more effectively. Visuals make patterns and trends easier to spot and understand,
making them valuable for presentations and reports.
In short, SAS helps analysts handle data from start to finish—from gathering it, summarizing it in reports,
diving deeper with analysis, and finally showing results visually. This process allows organizations to make
better, data-driven decisions.

SAS can definitely be useful in education, especially for analyzing data, improving teaching
strategies, and making informed decisions. It is a powerful tool for handling and analyzing large
datasets, making it ideal for educational institutions, researchers, and administrators who want
to gain insights from student data.
1. Student Performance Analysis Data Analysis: SAS can be used to analyze student exam scores, grades,
and other performance metrics. It can help identify trends, such as which subjects students are excelling
in or struggling with, and uncover patterns like how demographics influence academic performance.
2. Predictive Modeling: SAS can be used to build predictive models to forecast future student performance.
For example, it can predict which students are at risk of failing, allowing early interventions.

Jupyter Notebook is a web-based interactive environment used to share computational

documents or “notebooks.” Data analysts use Jupyter Notebooks to write and run code, clean
data, data visualization, machine learning, statistical analysis, and many other forms of data
analysis.
"Jupyter Notebook is like an interactive online workspace where you can write and run code, but it’s more than
just that. Imagine you're working on a project where you need to analyze data—whether it’s numbers, charts, or
patterns—and you need a place to organize your work. Jupyter Notebook allows you to do all of that in one
place. You can write code, run it to see what happens, and then visualize the results, like graphs or tables, right
in the same document.
One of the most powerful features of Jupyter Notebook is that it lets you combine code, the results of that code
(like graphs or numbers), and explanations all in one place. It’s like having a notebook where you can write
down your ideas, show your work, and share it with others, whether you’re explaining your code, showing your
analysis, or presenting your findings. This makes it a great tool for data analysis and learning how to work with
data."

Juypter Notebook allows users to combine data visualizations, code, comments, and numerous
different programming languages in one place, allowing for an improved space to document a
data analysis process and share them with others.
"Jupyter Notebook is a tool that lets you combine everything you need for data analysis in one place. It allows
you to write and run code, display data visualizations (like graphs and charts), add comments, and even use
different programming languages—all within the same document. This makes it a great space for documenting
the steps of a data analysis process because you can explain what you’re doing and show the results in a clear
and organized way.
For example, you can write Python code to clean your data, immediately show a graph to visualize the results,
and then add comments explaining what each part of the code is doing. Plus, Jupyter Notebooks support
multiple programming languages, so you’re not limited to just one. This flexibility makes it easier to share your
work with others, whether they are experts or beginners, because they can see your code, understand the
process, and interpret the results—all in one place."

Excel for Data Analysis in Statistics

 Excel is a spreadsheet program that’s great for handling numbers and making basic calculations. You can
use it to organize data, perform simple calculations, and make charts.

Example: Suppose you have test scores of students, and you want to calculate the average score.
Step 1: Enter your data in a column, for example, scores from 5 students: 80, 75, 90, 85, and 95.
Step 2: Select a cell to display the average, and type the formula `=AVERAGE(A1:A5)`. This will add
up all the scores and divide by the number of students.
Output: Excel will show you the average score, which is 85.
You can also use Excel to create graphs, like bar charts or line charts, to visualize data trends.

Python for Data Analysis in Statistics

 Python is a programming language that’s powerful for data analysis. With Python, you can write code to
handle large amounts of data and perform complex calculations.
 To use Python for statistics, you often need to install a few packages, like Pandas for data handling and
Matplotlib for creating graphs.

Example: Let’s say you want to find the average score and make a graph of the same student scores.
Step 1: Install Pandas and Matplotlib if you haven't already (using a command like `pip install pandas
matplotlib`).
Step 2: Write this code to calculate the average and plot the scores:
 Output: Python will print out the average score and display a line graph of the scores.
This is just a simple example, but Python is useful for handling much larger data sets and performing detailed
statistical tests.

R for Data Analysis in Statistics

 R is a programming language specifically designed for statistics and data analysis. It’s very popular for
working with data, especially in scientific and academic fields.

Example: Using R to find the average and plot scores.

Step 1: Open RStudio (a popular tool for writing R code).
Step 2: Write the following code:

Output: R will print the average score and create a simple line graph showing each student’s score.
R is great for more advanced statistical analysis, such as regression or hypothesis testing, and it has many
built-in functions for different statistical tests.

Tableau
•Tableau is a data visualization software used primarily for business analytics and business intelligence.
•Tableau is undoubtedly one of the most popular data visualization platforms in the world of business,
particularly because it features an easily understood user interface and seamlessly turns data sets into
comprehensible graphics.
• Tableau focuses on transforming raw data into visually Appealing and informative dashboards.

Imagine Tableau as a magical tool that turns boring numbers into colorful pictures!
Let’s say you have a box of candies. You want to know which color of candy is the most popular.
Step 1: Gather Your Candies (Data)
• Collect your data: Count how many candies of each color you have.
 • Organize your data: Write down the colors and their counts on a piece of paper. This is like
organizing your candies into different piles.
Step 2: Put Your Candies in a Picture (Create a Visualization)
• Open Tableau: This is like opening a special drawing app.
• Drag and Drop: Drag the “color” pile onto the “Color” shelf. This will color-code your candies.
• Drag and Drop Again: Drag the “count” pile onto the “Size” shelf. This will make the candies
bigger or smaller based on how many you have.
Step 3: Look at Your Picture (Analyze Your Data)
• See the Pattern: The biggest candy will be the most popular color!
• Ask Questions: Why is that color the most popular? Is there a reason?

Here’s a simple example:

If you have 5 red candies, 3 blue candies, and 2 green candies, Tableau might show you a visualize picture of
your data.

MYSQL
•MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) used for storing application data,
particularly web-based ones. Popular among websites, MySQL has been used by such popular websites as
Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
•In data, a Structured Query Language (SQL) is used for managing relational database management systems,
which use relational databases usually structured into tables. As a result, data professionals use MySQL to store
data securely and perform routine data analysis. While the program has limitations, MySQL typically fits well
within many businesses’ existing data systems.

How to use MySQL for Data Analysis:

1. Connect to Your Database: Use a tool like MySQL Workbench or a command-line interface to establish
a connection to your database.
2. Write SQL Queries: Craft SQL queries to extract the data you need.
3. Analyze the Data: Use the extracted data to perform calculations, create visualizations, and draw
insights.
4. Visualize the Data: Tools like Tableau or Python libraries (e.g., Matplotlib, Seaborn) can help you
visualize your data.
Why Use MySQL?
MySQL is used because it helps keep information safe and organized, and it makes it easy to search for or
change information whenever needed.
In short, MySQL is a tool for organizing, storing, and finding information quickly.