Title

The Level of HIV/ AIDS awareness in Guyana.

 Statement of Task
The level of HIV/AIDS in Guyana had shown an increase between 1999 and 2016. Is this enough
reason to say that since then to now more people have become aware of HIV/AIDS in Guyana?
 Reason for Selecting Topic
HIV/AIDS is both a National and International crisis. At the beginning of 2010 there was a
significant increase in the HIV/AIDS awareness level in Guyana. Since then Guyana has boldly
pursued policies and programs that are intended to reverse the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on
our country. Since the implementation of these policies there has been a drastic decrease in the
number of victims in the country. The topic was therefore chosen in order to investigate the
methods that were implemented and the impact it had on the population causing this decline.
 Data Collection
Data was collected from prior statistics and recent statistics. This was done in order to compare
the level of HIV awareness from 2006-2010 and 2011-2016. This was done using the following
method:

 A total of 50 persons were selected at random to collect data. The information was obtained
by using questionnaires to interview residents. The questionnaire constructed had 10
questions.
 Presentation of Data
Results of questionnaire were as follows:

Figure 1: Gender

52% 48%

Male Female
Table 1: Frequency Table Showing the Age Range of the
Number of Persons who answered the Questionnaire

Age Frequency

13-17 20

18-22 7

23-27 7

28-32 10

33-37 1

38-42 2

43-47 1

48-52 2

Total 50
 Figure 2: Ways the Public is Educated on HIV/AIDS
18

16
16

14
14

12
12

10

8
8

0
Television Advertisements Radio Programs Awareness Programs Newspaper Articles

Ways the Public is Educated on HIV/AIDS

Figure 3: Ways of Contracting HIV

22%

78%

Kissing Sexual Intercourse

 Figure 4: Ways to Prevent Contraction of HIV

Abstinence 30

No Touching 2

Condoms 18

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Ways to Prevet Contraction of HIV

 Mathematical Knowledge/ Analysis of Data
Table 2:

Frequency Midpoint
Age Fx C/f x² fx²
(f) (x)

13-17 20 15 300 20 225 4500

18-22 7 20 140 27 400 2800

23-27 7 25 175 34 625 4375

28-32 10 30 300 44 900 9000

33-37 1 35 35 45 1225 1225

38-42 2 40 80 47 1600 3200

43-47 1 45 45 48 2025 2025

48-52 2 50 100 50 5000 5000

Σf= 50 Σfx= 1175 Σx²= 12000 Σfx²= 32125

Mean:

x̅ = Σfx
Σf
x̅ = 1175
50
x̅ = 23.5
Median:
Median = Σf
2
Median = 50
2
Median = 25
∴ The median is in the class range 18-22

Estimated Median = L + (n/2) − B × w

G
Where:
 L is the lower class boundary of the group containing the median
 n is the total number of values
 B is the cumulative frequency of the groups before the median group
 G is the frequency of the median group
 w is the group width

Estimated Median = 17.5 + (50/2) − 20 × 5

7
Estimated Median = 17.5 + 25 − 20 × 5
7
Estimated Median = 17.5 + 5 × 5
7
Estimated Median = 17.5 + 3.6
Estimated Median = 21.1
Lower Quartile = Σf

Lower Quartile = 50

Lower Quartile = 12.5

Upper Quartile = 3(Σf)

Upper Quartile = 3(50)

Upper Quartile = 150

Upper Quartile = 37.5

Inter Quartile Range = Upper Quartile – Lower Quartile

Inter Quartile Range = 37.5 – 12.5

Inter Quartile Range = 25

Semi Inter Quartile Range = Upper Quartile – Lower Quartile

Semi Inter Quartile Range = 37.5 – 12.5

2
Semi Inter Quartile Range = 25

Semi Inter Quartile Range = 12.5

Box and Whisker Plot

60

50

40
37.5

30

20

12.5
10

0
Range
Mode:

The modal group is the group with the highest frequency.

∴ The modal group is 13-17

Estimated Mode = L + fm − fm-1 ×w

(fm − fm-1) + (fm − fm+1)
Where:

 L is the lower class boundary of the modal group

 fm-1 is the frequency of the group before the modal group

 fm is the frequency of the modal group

 fm+1 is the frequency of the group after the modal group

 w is the group width

Estimated Mode = 12.5 + 20− 0 ×5

(20− 0) + (20 − 7)
Estimated Mode = 12.5 + 20 ×5
20 + 13
Estimated Mode = 12.5 + 20 × 5
33
Estimated Mode = 12.5 + 3
Estimated Mode = 15.5
 x̅ = 23.5

Table 3:

Frequency Midpoint
Age Fx C/f x² fx² x- x̅ (x- x̅)² f(x- x̅)²
(f) (x)

13-17 20 15 300 20 225 4500 -8.5 72.25 1445

18-22 7 20 140 27 400 2800 -3.5 12.25 85.75

23-27 7 25 175 34 625 4375 1.5 2.25 15.75

28-32 10 30 300 44 900 9000 6.5 42.25 422.5

33-37 1 35 35 45 1225 1225 11.5 132.25 132.25

38-42 2 40 80 47 1600 3200 16.5 272.25 544.5

43-47 1 45 45 48 2025 2025 21.5 462.25 462.25

48-52 2 50 100 50 5000 5000 26.5 702.25 1404.5

Σfx= Σx²= Σfx²= Σ(x- x̅)²= Σf(x- x̅)²=

Σf= 50
1175 12000 32125 1698 4512.5

Variance: Standard Deviation:

σ² = f(x- x̅)² σ = √90.25

Σf σ = 9.5

σ² = 4512.5

50

σ² = 90.25
Range

Range = Upper Highest Boundary – Minimum Lowest Boundary

Range = 52.5 – 12.5

Range = 40

Stem and Leaf Plot:

1. 15 Stem Leaf
2. 20
1 5
3. 25
2 0, 5
4. 30
5. 35 3 0, 5

6. 40 4 0, 5
7. 45 5 0
8. 50
 Interpretation of Data
There was a unanimous agreement among the respondents that the awareness of HIV/ AIDS has
increased. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS
(Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), a member of a group of viruses called retroviruses. HIV
infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and
reproduce.

In Figure 1, Females were the most dominant gender who participated in the answering the
questionnaire at fifty- two percent (52%) and the males closely followed with forty- eight percent
(48%).

When asked the most effective way that the public is educated on HIV/AIDS the results were
represented in Figure 2 where the most popular answer was Television Advertisements receiving
sixteen (16) responses. Radio Programs and Awareness Programs were closely followed behind at
fourteen (14) and twelve (12) responses respectively. The least given response was Newspaper
articles only accumulating eight (8).

From the research it was proven in Figure 3 that citizens are well aware of how HIV is contracted.
Thirty-nine (39) of the respondents chose sexual intercourse while the other eleven (11) chose
kissing.

The question was posed concerning the method of preventing the contraction of HIV/ AIDS and
the results were portrayed in Figure 4. The most dominant answer was Abstinence accumulating
thirty (30) out of the fifty (50) persons surveyed. Condoms were the second highest with eighteen
(18) answers and the least answer was No Touching only accumulating two (2) responses.

Table 1 is a grouped frequency table portraying the Age Range of the Number of Persons who
answered the Questionnaire. There are eight (8) class intervals and from these class intervals, the
midpoints were found and displayed in Table 2 along with other statistics. From Table 2, the mean
was calculated to be twenty-three point five (23.5), the median was in the class range eighteen to
twenty-two (18-22) and was estimated to be twenty-one point one (21.1) with the lower quartile
being twelve point five (12.5) and the upper quartile thirty-seven point five (37.5) plotting a box
and whisker graph which gave us an interquartile range of twenty-five (25) and a semi interquartile
range of twelve point five (12.5). The modal group was thirteen to seventeen (13-17) and the
estimated mode is fifteen point five (15.5). From Table 3 the variance was calculated to be ninety
point two five (90.25) and the standard deviation was nine point five (9.5).
 Conclusion
The topic in which this study is based upon can be considered a global problem. Persons are
becoming more aware of HIV/AIDS contraction, prevention and solutions. Statistical analysis
shows that the modal age range for affected persons were thirteen to seventeen (13-17). Analyzing
the data even further showed that the mean was calculated to be twenty three point five (23.5) and
the standard deviation was nine point five (9.5).
 Bibliography
Books
1. Toolsie, Raymond. Mathematics A Complete Course with CXC Questions. Gulfview:
Caribbean Education Publishers, 1999.

2. Talbert, J.F. and Heng, H.H. Additional Mathematics- Pure and Applied. Singapore:
Longman Publishers, 1991

Websites
1. http://www.mathsisfun.com/data/central-measures.html

2. http://www.mathsisfun.com/mean.html

3. http://www.mathsisfun.com/median.html

4. http://www.mathsisfun.com/mode.html

5. http://science.jrank.org/pages/7153/Variance.html

6. http://www.alamandamaths.com/domains/data/calculate-mean-median-mode-and-range-
from-a-frequency-table-7/
 Appendix
Questionnaire
1) What is your gender?
Male
Female

2) What is your age?

15-30
31-45
41-55
More than 55

3) What do you think is the most effective way that the public is educated on HIV/AIDS?
Television Advertisements
Radio Programs
Awareness Programs
Newspaper Articles

4) Are you becoming more aware of HIV/Aids due to the above mentioned methods?
Yes
No

5) What do you think is the best way of contracting HIV/AIDS?

Kissing
Sexual Intercourse
Coughing
Toilet Seats
6) Do you know of any organisations set up in Guyana that offers HIV?AIDS testing and
education?
Yes
No
If Yes, Please state:
________________________________________________________________________

7) What do you think is the safest way for preventing the contraction of HIV/AIDS?
Condoms
No Touching
Abstinence
No Eye Contact

8) How can you tell if a person is HIV positive?

Body Temperature
Bumps and Boils
Taking a Test
Asking their Partner

9) Do you believe that persons living with HIV/AIDS should be treated differently in
society?
Yes
No

10) What do you think is the reason for the decline in HIV/AIDS?
Fear of Being Infected
Condoms are easily accessible and cheap
Implementation of Policies against Discrimination
Persons are generally not interested in Sex
Free Treatment and Education