Q."Statistics is a science with limitations; it can be misused as easily as it can be used." Discuss the main limitations of statistics.

A balanced answer recognises that statistics is powerful but bounded — and that its misuse is one of those bounds.

Statistics is a powerful tool, but it has definite limitations, and using it beyond them produces conclusions that look precise but are misleading.

1. Quantitative data only. Statistics cannot directly study qualities such as honesty, intelligence or beauty until they are expressed numerically — and that conversion is often imperfect.
2. Studies aggregates, not individuals. Statistical results describe a group as a whole and say nothing certain about any single member. An average income of ₹30,000 tells us nothing about what one particular person earns.
3. True only on an average / in the long run. Statistical laws hold on the average and over many cases, not for every individual case — they are statements of tendency, not certainty.
4. Can be misused. Because people trust figures, statistics can be misused — through a misleading average, figures quoted out of context, or unsupported conclusions. 'Statistics can prove anything' warns of misuse, not a fault of the science.
5. Results are approximate, not exact. Where data is estimated from a sample, results carry a margin of error and are reliable approximations, not exact truths. …

A frequent error is treating 'statistics can be misused' as if it were a criticism of the science itself — misuse is a limitation arising from careless or dishonest users, not a defect of the method. Also, do n …