Many widely used statistical methods, such as ANOVA (analysis of variance) and regression analysis, require that the data be normally distributed, but only rarely is the frequency distribution of data tested when these techniques are used. The frequency distribution of such data is a major factor determining the type of statistical analysis that can be validly carried out on any data set. Mathematics is particularly important for analyzing and characterizing random variation of, for example, size and weight of individuals in populations, their sensitivity to chemicals, and time-to-event cases, such as the amount of time an individual needs to recover from illness. As the need grows for conceptualization, formalization, and abstraction in biology, so too does mathematics' relevance to the field ( Fagerström et al.
