Information

Now we know that once humans started counting

they soon came up with some pretty big numbers they had to deal with

if they were going to make sense of things.

And big numbers can be important in different ways.

Herds of animals can run into thousands,

and so can armies of people.

Those big numbers can provide lots of information about the world.

You can compare things

by measuring them in all sorts of different ways,

to get all that information we call data,

and then compare them using charts and diagrams,

or tables like a database set out on a computer.

And if you have a question you want answered

about a whole group of people,

you can ask lots of people and then look at their answers

to see what is the average and what is extreme.

But of course, you have to remember

that if you want a useful answer

you have to make sure that you ask the right question.

Now, to get the best way of understanding data,

the most useful information,

you need to find the best way to display the data that you have.

You can discover new knowledge,

new understanding, new information

by seeing patterns that you didn't know were there

before you looked at the data in a different way,

the patterns that can be found

by looking at the data from a different angle.

And patterns not only show hidden details in the numbers,

but also show you easy ways to use them.

Often the easiest way to get an answer is to not bother with being exact,

but just working with numbers that are close,

when close is going to be good enough.

Especially when using calculators and computers,

estimation is a useful way to check

on whether the information has been put in correctly.

When they first built computers

humans called that mistake GIGO,

'Garbage-In Garbage-Out'.

Of course, muslims know that

in the same way, with their minds and senses

it is also garbage in garbage out.

In the wudhu they wash their eyes and ears,

as well as their noses and mouths,

to remind themselves that in the same way that you can breathe in bad air

or eat bad food that makes you sick,

you can listen to cruelty and lies

and look for what tempts you to do wrong.

What you see and hear can also make you sick.

In the way that your nose and mouth affect your body,

your eyes and ears affect your mind,

your heart and soul.

? Understanding what numbers say

? Finding the best guess